On Tuesday—a big-bodied, ex-Carolina Panthers wide receiver not only signed on with a new team, but signed on for a switch to tight end. This former high-end draft pick, after a few years of near inactivity, will now try to salvage his career elsewh . . . wait, haven’t we heard this story before?
Well, we have. But the latest comeback attempt—as reported by CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones—will be made by Devin Funchess, who signed with the Detroit Lions this evening.
The Lions have signed former Panthers and Packers TE/WR (and Michigan Man) Devin Funchess as a TE
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) June 14, 2022
Funchess broke into the league with the Panthers in 2015, after being selected with that year’s 41st overall pick. He’d go on to have four underwhelming seasons in Carolina—amassing just 2,233 yards and 21 scores on 161 receptions.
In 2019, the then 25-year-old signed on with the Indianapolis Colts, where he appeared in just one game before sustaining a broken collarbone. Funchess has since picked up two additional stops with the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers, but did not suit up for a single outing between 2020 and 2021.
He will now, sort of, follow in the steps of former teammate Kelvin Benjamin—who also tried to extend his NFL shelf life with a transition to tight end. Hopefully for Funchess, this works out a bit better for him than it did for Benjamin.