Packers place WR Devin Funchess on injured reserve
The veteran wide receiver's season is over unless he and the team agree on an injury settlement.
By PackerAaron
The Packers announced a trio of roster moves on Wednesday afternoon, including placing wide receiver Devin Funchess on injured reserve.
#Packers place WR Devin Funchess on IR & sign two defensive players
Roster moves https://t.co/hGn0MLgkAY
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 25, 2021
Funchess last played in an NFL game that mattered in Week 1 of the 2019 season, when he broke his collarbone during his first game with the Indianapolis Colts.
Because he did not make the initial 53 man roster, Funchess' season is over unless he and the team agree on an injury settlement. He would then be free to sign with another team while he recovers from a hamstring injury.
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Comments (41)
Minniman
August 25, 2021 at 05:13 pm
Stashed for 6 weeks as an insurance policy by the look of it
Alberta_Packer
August 25, 2021 at 05:23 pm
I know there are modified IR rules, due to covid, for this season. Is he gone for the season (as being reported) or can he return at some point?
Coldworld
August 25, 2021 at 06:15 pm
He is gone. If they reach an injury settlement (once he is recovered) he can sign for any team except us for a period of time. If he remains unsigned he could then be brought back by us.
Minniman
August 25, 2021 at 07:25 pm
Aha, ok, thanks
Alberta_Packer
August 25, 2021 at 09:23 pm
Interesting cw. So there is scenario (however unlikely) that he could return to the Packers during the regular season and possibly suit-up?
Coldworld
August 26, 2021 at 09:07 am
Unless the player is likely out for the season, most IR is settled once the player passes a physical. That means the player can sign with any team again and thus earn money.
After six weeks from the end of the term agreed in the initial settlement (which governs the amount of weekly pay received where those weeks fall within the regular season), the player can also resign with the Packers.
the best explanation that I know of is:
“If the player sustained the injury in the final week of the preseason (7 days prior to the 53 cut down date) and all parties agreed it would take six weeks for a full recovery, the parties may agree on a five week regular game settlement. A five-week settlement is appropriate because the first week of the six weeks is still during the preseason. Thus, the player would have most likely missed five weeks of the regular season on the inactive or the injured reserved list. Therefore, the team will pay the player for those five weeks in trade for a full release of liability. So the player will be paid 5/17th of his salary (there are 1weeks in the season.)”
https://www.nationalfootballpost.com/columns/off-the-field/what-is-an-in...
The rule is designed to prevent teams stashing players, but sometimes teams can resign players that they value that have not signed elsewhere.
That could mean a Redmond or Nuata type placed on IR during camp may be available to the original team relatively early in the season if their injury is short term and no one else signs them. Funchess would be very unlikely not to be signed by someone once healthy I suspect. Injuries happen.
MNPackersFan
August 25, 2021 at 05:24 pm
Can’t bring him back in 6 weeks since he wasn’t on the 53.
PackerAaron
August 25, 2021 at 05:38 pm
"Because he did not make the initial 53 man roster, Funchess' season is over unless he and the team agree on an injury settlement. He would then be free to sign with another team while he recovers from a hamstring injury."
LeotisHarris
August 25, 2021 at 07:11 pm
So, you're saying the Packers are hiding Funchess on the PS for six weeks so he can be part of the Rodgers trade package to Denver? You can't keep making cryptic statements like this in your articles, Nagler, and just expect us to sort it out!
Thegreatreynoldo
August 26, 2021 at 04:34 am
Packers have 5 days to reach an injury settlement. Let's say they agree he won't be healthy until October 10, that is 5 game checks. The Packers could sign him 3 weeks later, October 31.
The practical problem is that Funchess becomes an unrestricted free agent immediately upon signing the injury settlement. He can sign with and play with any team immediately. If his injury heals faster than anticipated, Funchess can sign with any other team, say September 26 and get paid by that team while keeping GB's money (no offsets in injury settlements, normally).
If GB can't agree to terms on an injury settlement, GB can't re-sign Funchess. They have to release him when he can pass a physical. Funchess might need surgery or it might heal in a month or two. I am leery of hamstrings: guys try to come back and re-injure it or injure something else due to compensating for the hammy.
Funchess needs to play in 2021 if he can. Middling WRs make $5M+ but if he is out this year, that means he won't have played in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and can expect veteran's minimum for 2022 if he can get an offer at all. He should be open to an injury settlement if it isn't a bad tear. He will be 28 in 2022 - he has some time.
LeotisHarris
August 26, 2021 at 03:02 pm
TGR, thank you very much for your reply. You've provided a lot of additional information, and an interesting perspective.
I thought Aaron's posted quote from his article was succinct and thorough. I understood Funchess' status after reading it in the article. I guess until a sarcasm font is developed there will always be misunderstandings on the interwebz.
beerandbrats
August 26, 2021 at 01:27 am
I suggest they agree on a 3 week injury settlement. Correct me if I'm wrong but then they could re-sign him to a new contract and play him after 3 more weeks. That hamstring should be healed up enough after 6 weeks for him to stress defenses down the middle like Jermichael Finley!
croatpackfan
August 26, 2021 at 02:28 am
As I understood rules, if players reach injury settlement, there is the frame through he have to be FA before he can resign with Packers. And I believe this time depends on the time he was on IR before they reach settlement, but it can not be shorter than 3 weeks.
Additionally, I have to say that when he injured himself he was carted from the field. That might be indication this is not simple hamstring injury, because mostly players with hamstring injury are able to walk off the field by themselves. So we do not know how severe is Funchess injury and it might be that he was under additional tests and examination through this period. It might be that this is the end for him as football player. I hope it is not something like that, but we will never know unless he would speak of it.
Coldworld
August 26, 2021 at 09:13 am
It would be a minimum of 6 weeks as a free agent after the end of the number of weeks stipulated in the settlement agreement. If no team signs him ( unlikely), the Packers could only then make him an offer.
croatpackfan
August 26, 2021 at 10:16 am
Thanks for clearing
beerandbrats
August 26, 2021 at 04:48 pm
What? No love for my Funchess to TE plan? It seems to me that we have been trying to replace Jermichael Finley for over 10 years now! Finley wasn't known for his blocking but he could play TE or WR! Funchess isn't much of a blocker either but he too can play TE or WR! And AR12 loves a big body TE streaking down the middle of the field! Moving Funchess to TE/WR also creates more room for our promising young receivers! Keep in mind, Sternberger is still unproven and Tonyan/Lewis plus half of our WRs could be gone after this season. Funchess could be a very wise investment if he is in fact good to go. He took a pay cut to play on a one year contract. Funchess is 28 and would probably be very interested in returning on a 2-3 year contract.
The question is, how long must we wait before we can get him back under contract and on the playing field? I believe that if we agree to a 3 week injury settlement, Funchess must wait 3 weeks for the hamstring to heal and then he can sign with any team he wants. If he wants to come back to the Packers, he must wait an additional 3 weeks before he can sign. Is that how it works? He could be back in time for game 7?
13TimeChamps
August 25, 2021 at 05:48 pm
I was really looking forward to seeing what he would have looked like with AR12 throwing him the ball. I guess we'll never know. Damn shame.
Leatherhead
August 25, 2021 at 05:52 pm
Funchess might be in the mix for next year.
Taylor to PS. He’ll be in the mix, too.
jurp
August 25, 2021 at 06:49 pm
Taylor will be on the 53.
Johnblood27
August 26, 2021 at 06:35 am
Probably not Patrick Taylor...
packer132
August 25, 2021 at 07:28 pm
I would not look at Funchess in 2022 after being out of football for 3 years. He played in 1 game in 2019 with Colts and 1 preseason game this year. Taylor will make the 53 and Winfree and Begelton go to practice squad again.
Cheesey51
August 25, 2021 at 10:56 pm
I was really looking forward to a 6'2",224 lb. WR hooking on to one of #12's passes,
Funchess was my camp favorite to make it. Gonna miss his veteran presence, Hope he can get healthy
jannesbjornson
August 25, 2021 at 10:00 pm
Thank you, Ted Jr.
stockholder
August 25, 2021 at 06:45 pm
He's gone and I'm glad. There is no use crying over spilled milk. He wasn't going to make the club anyway.
White92
August 25, 2021 at 07:14 pm
If you listen to John Kuhn, he had the roster made. I'll go with Kuhn's opinion
Grandfathered
August 25, 2021 at 08:11 pm
The loss of Funchess is lager than many people think. He was an 800+ yards receiver with higher upside than Lazard.
stockholder
August 25, 2021 at 08:22 pm
The problem wasn't his hands. It was the future. Let's say he made the club. Adams, MVS, Cobb, And Funchess will Leave, if Rodgers Leaves. Sure there was always a chance they stay. But the odds all 4 leave, were better then 50-50. And the cost of staying to great.
jurp
August 26, 2021 at 07:03 am
Adams is gone if AR STAYS because there's no way we could afford him, even with an AR restructure.
Coldworld
August 26, 2021 at 09:19 am
The cost of staying was minimal. The number of implied assumptions in that thinking probably do count as too much though. I see no reason to be happy about losing a good NFL player at any time.
jannesbjornson
August 25, 2021 at 10:02 pm
Taylor is the better Value.
Irish_Cheesehead
August 26, 2021 at 11:56 am
But not the better talent.
Fubared
August 25, 2021 at 09:43 pm
if you watched him in college he was a poor route runner and had the dropsies. i was not impressed with the guy, more hype then substance.
TommyG
August 25, 2021 at 11:28 pm
Yeah but in the pros he looked decent, and that was with Newton heaving at him.
Tedlyflyfisher
August 26, 2021 at 12:24 am
That’s a darned shame. I feel bad for the young man. I’d say Malik Taylor is now a lock for #6.
Johnblood27
August 26, 2021 at 06:37 am
OK, but is #6 a lock for the roster?
That is the question...
blacke00
August 26, 2021 at 07:37 am
What is so hard here? The guy has a big time injury history and he proved it again. He wouldn't have helped the team because he would never be on the field! Move on.
Since'61
August 26, 2021 at 09:49 am
This move of Funchess to IR probably means that Sternberger remains with the team. I expect that it also means Malik Taylor will make the final 53. I was hoping to see Funchess play for the Packers during the regular season. Moving on. Thanks, Since '61
frankthefork
August 26, 2021 at 10:48 am
I expected a few to hit IR...Redmond and now Funchess. Who's next so we can get to the 53? I still hope for a trade for draft picks next year. Gute has shown good selection and patience, but Sternberger and Burks are still on the bubble; IMO. GPG
Irish_Cheesehead
August 26, 2021 at 11:58 am
Looks like the competition for #6 is over. Too bad because I think Funchess would have had his best season as a pro with AR throwing to him. Gotta stay healthy, though. Now to see if they roll with Taylor, sign another receiver after cut downs, or keep only 5.
Thegravedigger
August 26, 2021 at 02:03 pm
Taylor is 90 percent I'd say. After the jets game. They will roll with 6.
HankScorpio
August 27, 2021 at 05:49 pm
Funchess getting hurt and released with an injury settlement is the least shocking development I have ever heard.