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The Green Bay Packers signed wide receiver Devin Funchess hoping he would shore up the group and they could address other positional needs in the draft.
Now, thanks to COVID-19, those hopes will have to wait until 2021 to be realized.
As first reported by ESPN’s Field Yates and later confirmed by the player himself on Instagram, Funchess is choosing to opt out playing the 2020 season thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
In his statement on Instagram, Funchess said “Family is first. Always has been. Always will be,” and noted he has seen the impact COVID-19 “first hand.” He also thanked the Packers organization for their understanding and said he “(looks) forward to getting back to work with them next season.”
By opting out, Funchess will remain under contract with Green Bay for 2021 with his salary for this year tolls to next year but he won’t get a stipend or salary advance due to going on injured reserve after Week 1 last year. His salary will also go towards the 2021 cap but his workout and signing bonuses will count towards this season’s cap.
As for the Packers, this leaves them back at square one at wide receiver. The unit looks almost exactly the same as it did in 2019, minus Geronimo Allison. After taking some flak for not drafting a wide receiver, head coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Aaron Rodgers will have to make do with their existing cast pending any late additions.
You can never ever fault a player for a making a decision that puts their family above football and we here at APC wish nothing but the best for Funchess and we look forward to him lighting up the field with the Packers in 2021.