General Packer News 2021

[NCF]

If Winfree keeps this up there's basically zero shot for Funchess or ESB to make the roster.

Adams
Cobb
MVS
Lazard
Rogers

are locks.

If a 6th WR is kept, it would certainly be a guy like Winfree to develop, not a meh vet like Funchess or ESB. For either to make the roster, it's going to take an injury or they are going to have to take MVS' or Lazard's spot, good luck with that.

I think the Funchess versus Lazard battle is going to be potentially real. Similar players, similar body types, similar dropsies, similar not-fast. Funchess is more of a middle-of-the-field weapon and Lazard is more of a "right place, right time" Rodgers fave. Will be interesting to see how that plays out with the front office and Rodgers

Given how hard that position was hit with injuries last year and the impact it can have on the offense, I want some extra depth kept there this year. I still think the excitement and expectations need to be tempered with Winfree. No reason we shouldn't be able to get him signed to the PS.

[NCF]

I think the Funchess versus Lazard battle is going to be potentially real.

I agree to an extent, but I think Lazard, going into his RFA season is almost as close to a roster lock as you can get given the status of the rest of the roster at the position. Cheap team control for one more year during what might be a big transition year for the group.

[Pckfn23]

If Winfree keeps this up there's basically zero shot for Funchess or ESB to make the roster.

Adams
Cobb
MVS
Lazard
Rogers

are locks.

If a 6th WR is kept, it would certainly be a guy like Winfree to develop, not a meh vet like Funchess or ESB. For either to make the roster, it's going to take an injury or they are going to have to take MVS' or Lazard's spot, good luck with that.

I think the Funchess versus Lazard battle is going to be potentially real. Similar players, similar body types, similar dropsies, similar not-fast. Funchess is more of a middle-of-the-field weapon and Lazard is more of a "right place, right time" Rodgers fave. Will be interesting to see how that plays out with the front office and Rodgers

I disagree that they are similar players and similar body types, right now. I also don't think that there is a battle there. Funchess is a big body possession and red zone receiver only. That is not Lazard. Lazard is not the same receiver he was when he joined the team. Funchess' game hasn't changed since he joined the league.

[Drj820]

If Winfree keeps this up there's basically zero shot for Funchess or ESB to make the roster.

Adams
Cobb
MVS
Lazard
Rogers

are locks.

If a 6th WR is kept, it would certainly be a guy like Winfree to develop, not a meh vet like Funchess or ESB. For either to make the roster, it's going to take an injury or they are going to have to take MVS' or Lazard's spot, good luck with that.

I think the Funchess versus Lazard battle is going to be potentially real. Similar players, similar body types, similar dropsies, similar not-fast. Funchess is more of a middle-of-the-field weapon and Lazard is more of a "right place, right time" Rodgers fave. Will be interesting to see how that plays out with the front office and Rodgers

Given how hard that position was hit with injuries last year and the impact it can have on the offense, I want some extra depth kept there this year. I still think the excitement and expectations need to be tempered with Winfree. No reason we shouldn't be able to get him signed to the PS.

Unless winfree bombs in the preseason games, i dont see him being available to just stuff on the PS.

[YoHoChecko]

I disagree that they are similar players and similar body types, right now. I also don't think that there is a battle there. Funchess is a big body possession and red zone receiver only. That is not Lazard. Lazard is not the same receiver he was when he joined the team. Funchess' game hasn't changed since he joined the league.

Ok, they're both 6'5" around 220. They both don't have great speed (don' even start). They both commonly fail to get separation on their own because they are more smooth than quick. They both have struggled with drops.

Lazard said, himself, in his presser yesterday "I'm not the fastest, I'm not the strongest, I'm not the quickest." And that he wins by knowing the right place to be and having a feel for it and always finding the right spot. Funchess wins more with strength and body control, but your insistence that Lazard is some radically different player than he was when he arrived is and has always been overblown.

Lazard took 39% of his snaps in the slot last year--higher than Funchess' 14% in 2018 when he last played fulltime. So there's not much argument that Funchess is more of a big slot while Lazard is outside. I understand that he's not a 4.7 TE-type hat he was viewed at coming into the NFL, but o say that these two are not similar is the epitome of splitting hairs.

[NCF]

[Pckfn23]

The only thing that the comparison is based on is scouting combine numbers. After that the comparison completely falls apart. It has even been described that their games are not similar. It has been admitted that Lazard's body type has changed. NO ONE has said he is the fastest, stongest, or quickest, but you undersell how that has affected his game. I have not oversold, but acknowledged the reality that his game has changed in the last 3 years since he was viewed as a TE hybrid. It hasn't made him the fastest, quickest, or most agile, but he doesn't lack in those areas like Funchess does. Lazard does not consistently fail to get separation. Funchess doesn't have the athletic ability to get separation which is why his game is possession/red zone big target, which is not what Lazard is. This is not splitting hairs in the slightest. This is realizing that the game of Lazard and Funchess is NOT the same and that they are not in direct competition because of it. Look beyond the combine numbers. Plus Lazard would play special teams, Funchess does not.
In 2018 & 2019 Lazard did not struggle with drops, 2 in total. He did this past year with 5. To now categorize him as a career dropsie guy is trying to shoe horn this narrative even more.

[Drj820]

Some people have always had a love affair with Lazard, I doubt he gets cut..but I wouldn’t care if he did. We would then see his value as there would be no bidding war for his post packer services.

I hope EQ or Fuchess is who doesn’t make the cut, Lazard has value to the team, just not as must as some believe. He isnt fast either.

[NCF]

Plus Lazard would play special teams, Funchess does not.

What Teams value does Lazard bring? Also, FWIW, Funchess was practicing with a lot of the coverage groups the other day at practice... not that I would expect much Teams value from him, either. My point is, that seems like another striking similarity between the two, not a difference.

[Pckfn23]

Plus Lazard would play special teams, Funchess does not.

What Teams value does Lazard bring? Also, FWIW, Funchess was practicing with a lot of the coverage groups the other day at practice... not that I would expect much Teams value from him, either. My point is, that seems like another striking similarity between the two, not a difference.

Lazard played 165 snaps on special teams in 2019, when he was healthy. Devin Funchess has played 6 total special teams snaps in his career!!!! COME ON MAN!

[Pckfn23]

Holy &%$@... No one has said he is $%@# Tyreek Hill out there. Just that he is not running high 4.5's, but is now in the mid to high 4.4s. That makes a difference. No one has said he is the 2nd coming of Devante Adams, either. He is a good #3, with #2 potential. That doesn't get cut for Funchess.

[YoHoChecko]

The comparison I'm making here is that they are both similar height/weight players without the speed and quickness to play consistently outside as, say, high-level WR2s. They are competing for the big slot role on this team, which Lazard had mostly to himself last year and Funchess is competing for this year. And both have added "slot" competition by having "non-big" or "true" slot guys on the field now.

FWIW, while some may consider Funchess more of a red zone/TE kinda guy, it seems, his yards per catch his first two years were 2-3 yards further than Lazard's have been in his two years. Funchess did tail off in that regard as his volume increased.

So gimme two guys without great quickness, who have good size, whose role is probably in the "big slot" mold more than it is backing up or competing with MVS for WR2, and I'll give you two guys who are in competition with each other for a roster spot.

[Pckfn23]

height/weight players without the speed to play consistently outside

This is Funchess, this is not Lazard. That is your mistake, in my opinion.

[Yoop]

well eventually Aaron Rodgers will decide who we should keep of these two # 4 options, plus that new kid, (whats his name) will probably turn these two into # 5 or 6 options, &%$@ it's possible neither make this team

[go pak go]

well eventually Aaron Rodgers will decide who we should keep of these two # 4 options, plus that new kid, (whats his name) will probably turn these two into # 5 or 6 options, &%$@ it's possible neither make this team

I disagree. I feel Rodgers and his chemistry are for slots #1 - #5.

That 6th slot, if kept, will be tied to STs ability and/or chemistry/connection with Love.

[YoHoChecko]

height/weight players without the speed to play consistently outside

This is Funchess, this is not Lazard. That is your mistake, in my opinion.

And yet in their careers, Funchess has played more outside than Lazard. So that is your mistake, in my opinion.

In a run heavy scheme that relies on blocking from the WR position, both can be useful in that regard with their size and effort. But you are creating this version of Lazard that has yet to fully develop while ignoring the version of Funchess that has already existed.

They're feel players--they're hole-in-the-zone players. They're right-place, right-time players. And they're tall and strong players. And they're both competing for snaps as big slots on our team--the role which Lazard himself played substantially for us, so I'm not sure why you're arguing against it.

[Drj820]

height/weight players without the speed to play consistently outside

This is Funchess, this is not Lazard. That is your mistake, in my opinion.

I would say the crux of the argument is most of us don’t think Lazard plays fast on the field. You seem to think he does.

[BSA]

I don't care when it's Adams burning Stokes. I will understand when that happens. And that was a popular storyline from last week of how "Stokes mentality is good. yada yada yada."...I've heard all that.

I do start noticing when it's Juwann Winfree burning Stokes. Now I am excited about Winfree. But this is a roster castoff/practice squad guy destroying our 1st round pick and fastest guy on the field.

Stokes won with speed/athleticism in college, but that's not enough in the NFL. He needs to learn how to read NFL offenses, recognize route combos and read WR body language so he can anticipate - instead of just reacting and leaning on his blazing speed. If you remember last season, this offense had lots of guys running free and destroying multi-year vets at CB. Zero surprise he got beat by Winfree or anybody else.

He will get there...but it takes some time with Jerry Gray and lots of reps - and a few embarrassments along the way. While he focuses on learning new techniques, it may be a bit ugly to watch. No worries, its part of the process. He's totally worth the pick, but he's not a plug n play CB yet.

Your patience will be rewarded, I promise.

[Labrev]

meh, just IR Oprah with a hangnail and trade Funchess or EQ.

[Yoop]

well eventually Aaron Rodgers will decide who we should keep of these two # 4 options, plus that new kid, (whats his name) will probably turn these two into # 5 or 6 options, &%$@ it's possible neither make this team

I disagree. I feel Rodgers and his chemistry are for slots #1 - #5.

That 6th slot, if kept, will be tied to STs ability and/or chemistry/connection with Love.

well, ahh, I'd imagine Lafluer and Guty will have to OK those positional choices with Aaron and the WR coach, it seems Aaron has carte blanc now with the WR's