Packers Place Funchess on Injured Reserve

Productive when healthy following basically a two-year layoff, Devin Funchess has been out with an injured hamstring.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers placed veteran receiver Devin Funchess on injured reserve on Wednesday, ending his comeback season.

Funchess, previously slowed by an ankle injury, had been out for the past week with an injured hamstring.

When healthy, he was productive. After a slow start to training camp, Funchess had a big Family Night and an impressive preseason debut against Houston with his six receptions for 70 yards. However, he injured his left hamstring last Wednesday during the joint practices with the New York Jets. He didn’t play in the game against New York on Saturday and didn’t practice on Monday and Tuesday.

“He’s always been a guy that can make plays, whether it was in college (at Michigan) or in his time in Carolina,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said after the Houston game. “I think he’s just one of those guys, he’s able to do a lot of different things. He’s kind of a post-up player. So, he can go up and take it away from you, he’s got speed to kind of pressure you on the perimeter, he’s also, for a guy his size, he’s pretty good in and out of his breaks. To see him for the first time in a couple years be able to go across the middle, catch some balls, take some hits, break some tackles, do those things, I think it was good for him and I was excited for him.”

After catching 164 passes in four seasons as Carolina's second-round pick in 2015, Funchess signed with Indianapolis in free agency in 2019 but suffered a broken collarbone in the opener and missed the rest of the season. He signed a one-year deal with Green Bay in free agency in 2020 but opted out due to COVID-19.

After the long layoff, Funchess was relishing his training camp and looking forward to getting back on the field. Instead, his time in Green Bay is over before it really began. The Packers could release him with an injury settlement, which would allow Funchess to sign elsewhere, but the team was ready to stick with one of its younger receivers, anyway.

“I’ve been to the dance [the Super Bowl] my rookie year, and I know that the little things matter,” he said after Family Night. “I know that having fun matters and that’s what I bring to the team. I bring in a distinct discipline through the tutelage of my grandfather, and then I bring in the fun of being a kid and doing that and continuing to be myself and personality. I’ve got everybody, even the coaches, laughing and smiling and even y’all. I just want to bring in that type of atmosphere because I know what the other side looks like. I know the severity of reality and real life, being where I’m from. And just to know that to really have a seat and watch these guys almost win the Super Bowl and just the appreciation of just to play a kids’ game, that’s where I’m more blessed, to have that opportunity to play a kids’ game for my living.”

An ethnic slur took some of the shine off a productive Family Night. He was an enthusiastic member of the roster, often one of the loudest players on the field even when out with an injury.

Putting Funchess on IR opens the door to a roster spot for Malik Taylor, who spent last season on the 53-man roster and has been having a strong training camp, as well as former sixth-round pick Equanimeous St. Brown. Reggie Begelton also could be in the mix, assuming the Packers keep six receivers behind Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers.

The Packers also released receiver Chris Blair. Dogged by a high-ankle sprain, he is a practice squad candidate once healthy. They filled those spots by signing defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson and cornerback Stephen Denmark.

The Packers got to the 80-man limit this week and must be to 53 players by 3 p.m. Tuesday.