No I said someone, not a nobody.

Dude had sCam Newton throwing the ball. Maybe he isn't a nobody but had a clown at QB which limited him.

Maybe, and he could also just suck.

Do you consider the number 2 WR position solved with that signing?

I don’t

Funchess fits a particular role--he'll beat press and move the chains in specific situations. I don't think that role rises to the classification as WR2, but it's something the team sorely needed.

The team sorely needs a WR2, and that's it. Either Funchess is that guy or it was a bad signing.

Yep. I hope he pans out to be that, but right now I'm skeptical. I don't think he's the type of talent that makes you feel "ok, now we're set there, so the focus can be elsewhere in the draft." I think they still need to look at drafting a WR.

To be honest, this team needs a WR2/3/4 (Inman would be fine as WR4, but he’s not signed and Cain could be any one of those but that’s certainly far from proven).

So if Funchess fills any of those roles admirably AND the Colts manage to fill WR2/3 admirably (say, Cain and a rookie draft pick) then I’ll call Funchess a good signing at WR4, albeit a highly overpaid one (which, with the cap space we have, who cares?)

That said, if Funchess comes in and is expected to be WR2 and nothing else is done to address the position then my initial reaction to the signing will be correct and he’ll be the next Ryan Grant/Andre Johnson/Hakeem Nicks/DHB/Donnie Avery.

You’re talking ambiguous concepts and I’m talking tactics.

I disagree we need WR2. We need playmakers on offense, doesn't matter where they line up. Nobody here has the slightest idea of how Funchess will pan out. The folks that know the absolute most signed him for some 13 million. For the first time in eons I'm watching leadership that actually has an idea of how they want to build a team and are following it. They seem, so far, to be able to identify players that fit this scheme and sign them. The proof is what they put on the field. The administration of this team has earned my trust.

Need a pass-rusher more than a true WR2. I know it isn't going to happen with free agency, but if we're discussing "needs"...

A fair question.

What were your thoughts in the weeks following the Ebron signing? Did you consider him a nobody as well? I ask because here are their career stats prior to signing with the Colts:

4 years 182 receptions 2070 yards 11 TD
4 years 161 receptions 2233 yards 21 TD

Granted one was a TE and the other a WR. They both drafted early, but Ebron was a top 10 pick, and Funchess was an early second rounder. There is a ton of similarity.

How about we give the kid a shot before we declare him a nobody.

Didn't realize that was the case for Funchess

We might still pick up a low cost vet. But most help will probably come from the draft in a DT and DE then improvement from the young guys.

Stats yes. But Funchess has a much lower catch percentage. He also had a lot of drop so far in his career. Had 5 in one game alone. Not a fan of that and I think we could use an injection of sure hands on the team. Still, like Ebron, I’ll wait and give him a chance at least.

I hear you, and you have a valid point.

Catch % the last two years before signing with Colts:

Funchess:

56.8%
55.7%

Ebron:

71.8%
61.6%
(60.0% last year with Indy)

There's a significant difference there, and it shocks me that Ebron's went down to his lowest since his rookie year. In fact, Ebron's totals last year were pretty much in line with his career stats, aside from the number of targets and his TD's.

Detroit fans will tell you though that Ebron couldn't catch anything, and the Carolina fans I've spoken to here in NC are howling that we stole Funchess, so perception can differ from reality.

I'm hoping for the best, and as mentioned multiple times, the folks who know the most about football, and this team in particular, signed him to a contract. Anything north of the 63 receptions and 8 TD he had two years ago, with a healthier Cam, will be a win for the team, IMO.

Just to add a bit to this, I look at it from the perspective of 1) why did the Colts offense struggle at times during their 11-2 run last year, and 2) how does Funchess help address those issues?

For #1, if we focus on the games @Jacksonville and @KC, the OL clearly struggled to impose its will, but the receivers were a major issue. Those teams took Hilton out of the game and the other receivers couldn't consistently beat press man coverage. In the Jags game, the difference between winning and losing wasn't very big and they easily could have won by converting a few more 3rd downs against those coverages.

THAT'S why the Funchess signing is a big deal. Is he a fantastic receiver overall? No. Does he make the Colts a better team because of what he provides? Absolutely. That's why I keep harping on the tactics and what he gives them schematically. RPOs will be a higher percentage play next year, which will help both the running game and the passing game. Back shoulder throws can be a greater emphasis. By making teams play closer to the LOS and out to the boundaries, it will open things up deep and down the middle of the field.

You're assuming the best case scenario is already a given. We haven't had the best of luck lately with bringing in these WR reclamation projects. Ebron worked out great at TE, but there is absolutely no guarantee that Funchess is going to do the same in his role. We hope that it is, but you can't just automatically assume it, definitely not based on his previous performance.

We'll see, but I'm not assuming from his signing that this positional need is solved.

I'm not "assuming" anything. "Assuming" implies that I'm shooting from the hip and that there's some flaw in my logic. I'm making a rational, thoughtful projection based on:

1) What Funchess does well,
2) What the Colts didn't do well in 2018,
3) How he fits into elements of what Reich wants to do,
4) Trust that Reich will tactically deploy Funchess based on his strengths

In over a week, I haven't seen one person on here make a compelling case that I'm incorrect on any of those four factors.

This 100%. What makes this a good signing is the people who signed him know what they want him to do and be. TEAM building, not just accumulating 'good' players.

You completely left out the most important part....."Funchess actually making the play", which is the part that's not a given based on his previous production. You can assume he fits the role and that they'll scheme to help maximize what he should be able to do to help the team, but he has to make the play, and nothing in his history shows he should get that assumption as a given.

There are plenty of WR's who SHOULD produce but don't, who have the physical skillset to thrive in certain situations, but don't.

For me, he has to prove that before I believe it. I'm not going to blindly believe it just because he signed and will play with Luck and Reich.

Let's just get to the nuts and bolts of it. You don't trust his hands and that negates everything for you. Is that fair to say?

It doesn't negate everything, I'm just not giving him the benefit of the doubt that he will make the plays until he proves it with this new team. It's certainly not a given that he will.

If Funchess does little else but prove to be a good red zone threat, producing 10+ TD's, then it's a good signing and teams will not be able to focus so much on Ebron in the red zone.

Because this debate started, I decided to watch some tape of Funchess. What I saw was a player who will catch a well thrown ball almost every time, and can use his size and athleticism to get open and high point the ball in 50/50 scenarios. Luck is a better QB than Funchess has ever had, and will likely deliver him well thrown balls with regularity. Given that, I think Funchess has a good chance to be very effective in this offense.

I get a feeling he will have a Ebron like season with Luck.. I also believe he will be a big part in Luck having a Monster season next year because he will have more options.

We will be talking about Ballard making the right moves again.

I really hope you are right.

Can’t speak to the Carolina fans. But the Detroit fans never warmed to Ebron. I think their draft positions had a lot to do with it. I wonder if Funcheese was a top ten pick they would feel the same? 60 receptions would be a win for me.

Spoke with an honest Panthers fan who said he expects Funchess to blow up with Luck. I think his more defined role here will take a bit of pressure off of him.

https://twitter.com/JoelAErickson/st...58014212395008

Seems pretty good to me.

Pressure off of him? Hes got to make plays, or they will find someone else

Sure. I only meant that he won't be expected to do everything.

Geathers contract is very team friendly

Unfortunately for Geathers, that's what happens when you play in 26/48 games the last three years of your rookie deal. Hopefully he can play a full season and cash in next year.

Am I a terrible person for rooting for the Colts to snag a talented rookie early in the draft and as a result of his team friendly deal Clayton Geathers is a camp casualty?

If you’re a terrible person I am too. It’s a business and Geathers knows it. I fully expect the colts to draft his replacement no later than the second round.

Why would you want him to be a camp casualty? Is depth a bad thing?


There are plenty of reasons you are a terrible person. Not sure this is one of them.

more like geathers plays out this year and is not resigned. rookie gets playing time this year and becomes starter next.

Why is anyone worried about any NFL contract? It's monopoly money, and this team isn't even close to the cap.

I don't want to approach the season like Geathers will be the starter. I'd rather be be the third safety, for depth and as one of the primary nickel/dime DBs. But who knows how the draft will shake out.