The coaches need to quell Funch's seemingly obvious anxiety.

[t96]

Any rookie receiver in this position would have a great deal of anxiety. It's not really a big deal. Of course he'll be better when he's more comfortable and the game slows down for him, but there's not really much the coaches can do about it. What are they going to say? "Devin, don't worry if you drop a pass or the run the wrong route it's just a game" to get him to relax? There's a lot of pressure on him for a 2nd round rookie, but that's a good thing. He just needs to overcome it.

[top dawg]

Any rookie receiver in this position would have a great deal of anxiety. It's not really a big deal. Of course he'll be better when he's more comfortable and the game slows down for him, but there's not really much the coaches can do about it. What are they going to say? "Devin, don't worry if you drop a pass or the run the wrong route it's just a game" to get him to relax? There's a lot of pressure on him for a 2nd round rookie, but that's a good thing. He just needs to overcome it.

It's not a big deal, per se, but there is definitely the possibility for it to grow into a big deal. People are already talking about Funchess in terms of replacing Benjamin this year, I don't think that point is really debatable, so quite naturally it would be better for the coaches to manage that narrative now than to let it get out of hand. Perhaps they are, or maybe they aren't, the fact still remains that it would behoove them to deflect some of that pressure, or at least help him to better be able to handle it. 

In short, what they can say is: "Devin, just be Devin".  

 

 

[Davidson Deac II]

An anxious rookie?  That almost never happens. 

[csx]

Thank you Dr. Phil

[t96]

It's not a big deal, per se, but there is definitely the possibility for it to grow into a big deal. People are already talking about Funchess in terms of replacing Benjamin this year, I don't think that point is really debatable, so quite naturally it would be better for the coaches to manage that narrative now than to let it get out of hand. Perhaps they are, or maybe they aren't, the fact still remains that it would behoove them to deflect some of that pressure, or at least help him to better be able to handle it. 

In short, what they can say is: "Devin, just be Devin".  

 

 

I see what you're saying, and yes it will have an impact but I really don't think there's anything the coaches can say or do. Funchess will always have in his mind that he's filling KB's shoes because of the injury, even if he's told to "just be Devin." Even if the coaches say publicly and to him that he's a different receiver and won't be asked to do the same things I still don't think it would help much. Maybe it would, but I doubt it. It's not debatable that people are talking about Funch replacing KB, and that'll be in his head regardless, but he's not really replacing KB at all. He's just going to have a larger role. The way I see it, is that it's 100% up to him. Not on the coaches or anyone else. The media and fans will say whatever they want, good or bad. He's going to have to be the one to not listen to them. 

[Captain Morgan]

anyone else read the post and look up to the left to see if it was started by Panthers United?

[Murrican]

Obviously he had pressure on him as a rookie, and probably a little more pressure now that KB is hurt.

But it's pointless to pretend to know what is going on his head.  We'll get a better idea on game day by his play and reactions. 

[VerticalThreat]

We're making assumptions about the pressure a Rollie is feeling based on comments taken out of context and placed together. Sure, he sounds like he's taking on a lot, but that's what he's supposed to say, "they expect me to come in and rise to the opportunity and that's what I'm going to do." if he says anything less, we'd worry that he isn't up for it. 

Devin is in a good place in that we're not going to chuck the ball all over the field. We're going to run to set up the pass. Devin has Ricky Proehl in his corner and if we've learned anything about RP, it's that he knows when to push and he knows when guys need to be built up. I think that's going to be tremendous for Devin. We'll see during the first couple of games just how ready Devin is. Hopefully, he can use what he's been taught to get open and rely his athletic ability when push comes to shove. 

[Daddy_Uncle]

Bersin is gonna be kb this year

[Frizzy350]

this.

funchess comes from a shitty Michigan school with a shitty qb.

 

kelvin literally won the national championship with a last second catch. It is ridiculous to expect so much out of the guy. There personalities and playing experience is just so much different.

 

that said. In the grand scheme of things the only part of the KB injury that might produce anything good is that funch maybe prepared to be a #1 by seasons end and with KB coming back next year we might be looking at some dominant WR play. 

 

I think it is also important to get a REAL good look at guys like Bersin, Boykin, Byrd and Brown in bigger roles.  Can these guys step up and prove to be the support cast KB and Cam need down the road?  Or are they glorified Rudy's?

[top dawg]

We're making assumptions about the pressure a Rollie is feeling based on comments taken out of context and placed together.

Look, I get your point (though I don't think it's really arguable that Funchess is feeling some pressure), but to say that the comments were taken out of context and put together is inaccurate. They came from the same presser, and have been "placed together" in more than this thread. Moreover, I believe that it's going to take more than "the first couple of games" to see how "ready" Devin is to handle the pressure of being a big-time receiver in the NFL without having the added pressure of filling Kelvin Benjamin's shoes. That is an unfair level of expectation in my opinion, and frankly just proves to me as to why the coaches need to make sure that Devin does not get lost within unfair expectations.

[CRA]

I think it is also important to get a REAL good look at guys like Bersin, Boykin, Byrd and Brown in bigger roles.  Can these guys step up and prove to be the support cast KB and Cam need down the road?  Or are they glorified Rudy's?

I had enough real good looks at Bersin last year

I personally think his Wofford degree has aided him

[Ivan The Awesome]

He's a rookie that's never played a down in the NFL, regular season. He's going to be anxious.   But I don't see any excessive anxiety at all. 

[arbnranger]

I think it is also important to get a REAL good look at guys like Bersin, Boykin, Byrd and Brown in bigger roles.  Can these guys step up and prove to be the support cast KB and Cam need down the road?  Or are they glorified Rudy's?

Swarm of B's