No position on the New England Patriots’ roster saw as much turnover this offseason as wide receiver. Injuries, free agency departures, and new additions have formed a position depth chart that includes few locks and a lot of players fighting for their roster lives. Among the latter group is recently signed Eric Decker, who was picked up by the Patriots two weeks ago.
A proven pass catcher in the NFL, Decker came with plenty of promise to possibly carve out a role as a rotational and package-specific wideout. There are still four weeks of practice and preseason opportunities to do just that, of course, but so far his stint in New England has not looked overly encouraging: Decker – he of 461 career receptions – has struggled with drops during his first few practices with the team.