As sidekick or not, Decker catches on
He is the best Robin in the NFL, the top No. 2 wide receiver in the game, the sometimes underappreciated half of this dynamic pass-catching duo. Eric Decker will take all the compliments that he can get, even the back-handed ones.
“I like the word ‘best,’” Decker told the Daily News with a laugh. “I don’t try to look into slotted positions on the field… Honestly, I would love to be a Hall of Famer, but those are guys at the Brandon Marshall level. I want to walk away from the game with people saying, ‘He was good at what he did, whether it’s the No. 1,2, 3, 4, or 5, receiver.’ Whatever number they want to put on me, I really don’t care.”
Decker and Marshall — or is it Marshall and Decker? — are among the most formidable tag teams in the sport. Decker has found a new home as the Jets’ No. 2 option. He has become a scoring machine over the past four years with little fanfare. He is better than you think.
Decker’s 41 touchdowns since 2012 are only four fewer than Marshall’s total. He has 326 receptions for 4,341 yards P.T. (Post Tebow). He’s the steady guy, the heady guy and the guy that has helped Ryan Fitzpatrick’s late-career renaissance as much as anybody.
Decker’s versatility has gone largely unnoticed; 91% of Decker’s receptions as the Jets top receiver in 2014 came from lining up outside before he hauled in 70% of his catches from the slot last season. He was a red-zone giant for Fitzpatrick. The conversation of the league’s best No. 2 wideouts includes Emmanuel Sanders, Randall Cobb and Decker. I’ll take my chances with Decker, who hopes to stretch the field more often this season. “I think sometimes I have deceptive speed,” Decker said. “I never ran a 40 (at the combine due to injury), so maybe I need to run one to put it on the board . ... I’m not the fastest guy. That’s not my game. But I can get going. I probably don’t have that next gear, but I have speed that can get on top of defenses deceptively. It’s something that I want to be able to utilize in our offense.”
Decker’s 12.8 yards per catch last season were his lowest since 2012, but he believes that he can be a difference maker downfield in the second year in Chan Gailey’s offense. Rather than ask the play caller for more opportunities to stretch the field, Decker has spent time taking with Fitzpatrick about working on deeper routes in practice.
“If we can put it on tape and we can hit them — and Chan sees it — maybe he’ll start formulating his game plans a little differently,” Decker said. “So it’s not so much asking for certain things. It’s more so proving it and getting on the same page with the quarterback, who are really the ones that have to execute it . ...
“I want to be able to hit short, intermediate and long, so there’s no tells in my game.”
Decker has flourished when many wondered what life for him would be like without Peyton Manning, who helped turn Denver’s former third-round pick into a fantasy football must-have. Decker racked up 172 catches, 2,352 yards and 24 touchdowns in two seasons with Manning. Although he hasn’t quite reached those levels in two years with Geno Smith and Fitzpatrick (154 catches, 1,989 yards, 17 TDs), he’s proven that he can thrive without the future Hall of Famer.
“I always knew that I would be successful,” Decker said. “I’m not going to take away what Peyton has meant to my career. I learned so much about the game and coverages and defenses . ... I knew I had to prove myself. I knew that I was able to have success without him. I’m happy that I’m continuing that.”
He has always wanted to be remembered for three words: consistent, reliable and dependable. He leads by example. That’s why he was the lone person on the field three hours before kickoff of a preseason game in Washington last week, preparing for a practice game amid the sweltering heat.
“Sometimes he goes overlooked when you think of Brandon and everybody else around him, but Deck comes to work every day,” Todd Bowles said. “He’s a very intelligent ball player. He’s a physical ball player. He’s faster than you think he is and he’s very reliable. He’s a good example for the young guys.”
Time has provided wisdom. He can visualize how he’s going to run a route now because has a greater understanding of the nuances of the defenses. He is a better player at 29 than he even was during his best statistical seasons in Denver.
“I’m more mature,” Decker said. “I see the game a little different now.”
There’s nothing wrong with being the best No. 2 receiver in the game.
@MMehtaNYDN