So far, three big names for the Panthers have changed teams in free agency. Thomas Davis has signed a two-year deal with the Chargers, Devin Funchess got a one-year prove-it deal with the Colts and the Texans are taking a chance on the recently released Matt Kalil, signing him to a one-year deal.
As far as how much the team will miss each of them, it’s pretty easy to break it down into three distinct categories. There is no question the team will miss Thomas Davis in certain respects, even if they’re mostly intangibles at this point in his career. The addition of Bruce Irvin will help, but No. 58 leaves behind some very large cleats to fill.
As for Matt Kalil, cutting him is likely to be the most popular move the team makes this offseason unless they wind up drafting a future Hall of Famer in one month.
The wild card is wide receiver Devin Funchess. On the surface, it would seem easy to say that Carolina’s offense won’t miss him. After all, they already have two promising young receivers in D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel and Funchess was a healthy scratch in the last game of the year.
However, that doesn’t mean Panthers fans should blow off the idea that they might miss what he brought to the wide receiver room. Funchess had an awful 2018 season, but we don’t believe that’s indicative of his real talent. Given the right opportunities working behind T.Y. Hilton, it’s not hard to imagine him thriving with the Colts.
Remember, as recently as 2017 Funchess was balling out. His drop rate was only 4.55 percent, which ranked No. 6 at his position. Funchess was also ranked among the top 10 wide receivers in contested catch rate.
Frustrating as it may have been to see Funchess fall short of his potential, there’s still a lot of it. He developed a lot as a route runner and his frame is something the Panthers don’t have a ready replacement for.
With Funchess gone, the six-foot, $5 million man Torrey Smith is now the tallest receiver on the roster.
If tight end Greg Olsen can recapture his Pro Bowl form and stay healthy, that would help a lot. Smith could also grow into a larger role with a full 16 games working with Cam Newton. Carolina can’t bank on either scenario, though.
The Panthers should consider using a mid-round pick on a tall prospect who can help replace Funchess and complete the picture at receiver.
