Getty Demarcus Robinson #11 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up before the AFC Championship Game against the Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Green Bay Packers finally made a move on a free-agent wide receiver on Tuesday afternoon when they agreed to terms with Devin Funchess, but the former Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts wideout wasn’t the only option being considered.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Packers also showed interest in Kansas City Chiefs free-agent Demarcus Robinson before deciding to bring in Funchess to supplement their receiving corps. The Packers also reportedly took a genuine interest in Emmanuel Sanders before he signed with the New Orleans Saints last week, per Sports Illustrated‘s Bill Huber.
Before agreeing to terms with Devin Funchess, the Packers also showed interest in Demarcus Robinson, an intriguing second-wave option with 449 yards/4 TD and a ring with KC last year.
Robinson, a 2016 fourth-round draft pick, has played every game in his first four NFL seasons and is coming off his most productive yet after hauling in 32 passes for 449 yards and four touchdowns in 2019. While quarterback Patrick Mahomes prioritized Sammy Watkins, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce over him as passing targets, Robinson fulfilled a role that proved valuable to the Chiefs on their march to the playoffs and an eventual Super Bowl championship.
The Packers have been on the hunt for new receivers after struggling to provide quarterback Aaron Rodgers with a reliable second option in the passing game, considering their options both on the free market and in the upcoming NFL draft class laden with pass-catchers. Their first steps in addressing the issue came Tuesday when they took the plunge with Funchess, a former second-round draft pick who missed the entire 2019 season after breaking his collarbone in Week 1.
Once Funchess’ signing is formally announced, the Packers offseason receiving corps will include star Davante Adams along with Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown, Jake Kumerow, Reggie Begelton, Darrius Shepherd and Malik Taylor.
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How Does Robinson Compare With Funchess?
The Packers picked between a pair of 26-year-old wideouts — maybe more if they were ever considering bringing back Allison, who is an unrestricted free agent — and seem to have invested in the choice that gives them the most in-game experience and seasonlong production.
Funchess made just three receptions for 32 yards in his lone game for the Colts last year, but he amassed 840 yards and eight touchdowns on 63 catches when he played his last full season in 2017 for the Panthers. Robinson’s numbers over four seasons just barely surpass that with 75 career receptions for 949 yards and eight touchdowns.
Demarcus Robinson holy cow. Wow!
Funchess has also averaged more yards per reception (13.8) over his career despite making more than double the number of catches as Robinson, who falls behind the new Packers receiver in both contested catch rate and true catch rate as well, according to Player Profiler.
The stats can bend the narrative a bit sometimes, though. Funchess has been given far more opportunities to thrive within an offense than Robinson, finishing as the Panthers’ leading receiver in 2017. Meanwhile, the peak of Robinson’s playing time came early in 2019 while Hill was sidelined with an injury for several games. His role diminished noticeably once Hill returned to action.
Unlike Funchess, Robinson has also never missed a game with an injury. He missed a little bit of practice time with an illness during the Chiefs’ bye week, but nothing that compares with Funchess’ complicated injury history. He spent the final game of the 2016 season on IR with a right knee injury and was also plagued with a nagging back injury down the stretch of 2018, missing one game.
If Robinson finds a bigger role with a new time for 2020, it will be interesting to see how he compares with Funchess’ debut year for the Packers.
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