Devin Funchess continues to grow into a leader on the field for the Carolina Panthers passing game.
Opportunity often tends to rear its head in the most sudden of moments. The NFL is known as the “next man up” world in which a player is expected to fill in the void if another player is removed from the playing field. Devin Funchess has done just that for the Carolina Panthers since Kelvin Benjamin was traded away to the Buffalo Bills. In the three weeks since that move, Funchess has exploded in production in a way that the Panthers desperately needed.
On Oct. 31, the Panthers traded Benjamin to the Bills in a move that shocked many onlookers. The former first-round pick was traded for a third-round and seventh-round pick in the 2018 draft. Both Funchess and Benjamin have gone through a transition of sorts with their teams.
Benjamin has struggled with the Bills — who continue to go back and forth with their quarterback situation — while Funchess has become a main target for Panthers quarterback, Cam Newton. The situation has become even worse for Benjamin as the Bills confirmed he has a torn meniscus in his right knee and is now day to day, continuing his trend with knee problems.
Funchess, on the other hand, has turned into the No. 1 target for Newton. The Oct. 29 game was the last time that Funchess and Benjamin shared the field together. Up to that point in the season, Funchess had only two games in which he caught more than five passes and never earned more than 75 yards.
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Since then, the production has changed as he’s caught at least five passes in the last three games for 86, 92 and 108 yards respectively. In each of those outings he was the Panthers’ leading receiver and now leads the team in targets, reception yards and touchdowns.
Funchess was widely considered a questionable asset through two seasons in the NFL. His size and abilities as a slot receiver created the expectation that he’d be an excellent complement to Benjamin and Greg Olsen. That development took longer than anticipated. He ended both the 2015 and 2016 seasons well, but consistently got off to a slow start in each of those years.
2017 has been a stark contrast to that situation as he’s used the opportunity presented to show that he can be a leading option in the Panthers’ passing attack. When paired with Christian McCaffrey, the returning Damiere Byrd and others, Funchess is poised to have a breakout season.
Moving Benjamin so close to the trade deadline was a moment that shocked many onlookers. Carolina is on pace for a bounce-back season and it looked like the team pushed out its primary option in the passing game. However, Benjamin seems to be headed on the downturn while Funchess has blossomed into the primary target Newton loves.
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The Carolina Panthers are struggling with some injuries on the offensive side of the ball, but it’s clear that Devin Funchess has the abilities to be the leader this team needs when it’s time to put the ball in the air.