The search to replace Devin Funchess may be over. Today, the team announced they have signed former Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan.
Hogan is not a huge name at his position, but he does offer a lot of value on the field. Over the last three seasons, Hogan caught a total of 107 passes on 172 targets. He was productive with those opportunities, posting 1,651 yards and averaging a healthy 15.4 yards per reception.
As one would expect from any typical New England receiver, Hogan is a gifted route runner and a willing blocker. His greatest attribute is what he can do as a red zone weapon, though. Hogan scored 12 touchdowns during his time with the Patriots, bringing his career total to 18.
Hogan also has steady hands, which was a problem with Funchess and Carolina’s receivers in general the last few years. During the 2018 season, he only dropped one pass on 55 targets from Tom Brady.
Looking forward, this signing makes it highly unlikely that the team will use one of its mid-round draft picks on a sleeper wide receiver prospect such as West Virginia’s David Sills V. Instead, they’ll be able to focus on other positions of need like cornerback or safety.
We’ll have to see how much money Hogan is going to make before we get too carried away, but from a football perspective this is another low key, grade A move by Marty Hurney in a year that has seen a few of them.
