Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess put together his best NFL season in 2017.
After posting 54 catches for 844 yards and nine touchdowns in his first two seasons, Funchess finished last year with 63 catches for 840 yards and eight touchdowns. His numbers spiked after he moved up a rung in the pecking order when the Panthers traded Kelvin Benjamin and sent him into the final year of his contract on a high note.
Funchess said on Wednesday that he’s not thinking about an extension right now and General Manager Marty Hurney suggested the team will wait to see how 2018 plays out before working out a future with Funchess.
“Devin really made huge strides last year,” Hurney said, via the Charlotte Observer. “And he hopes to continue to do the same this year. It’s a continued development year. You want to see a guy put back-to-back years together.”
Hurney brought in Torrey Smith, Jarius Wright and first-round pick D.J. Moore at receiver this offseason, so Funchess will have more competition for Cam Newton’s attention than he did in the second half of 2017. Seeing how that plays out will be an important data point for the Panthers to consider when it comes to Funchess’ future with the team.
