The Jets have told wide receiver Eric Decker that they will either trade or release him this week, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).
The departure of Decker will continue a significant offseason shakeup for the Jets, who previously released a slew of notable veterans in receiver Brandon Marshall, center Nick Mangold, cornerback Darrelle Revis and linebacker David Harris, among others. Like those four, Decker is in his 30s (he just turned 30 in March), meaning he doesn’t fit into the Jets’ youth movement. He’s also coming off an injury-shortened season, one in which he missed the Jets’ final 13 games after undergoing hip surgery and an operation to repair his partially torn rotator cuff.
For now, Decker has two years remaining on the five-year, $36.25MM contract the ex-Bronco signed with the Jets in March 2014. Decker, a 2010 third-round pick who broke out in Denver from 2012-13, carried his strong production from the Mile High City to New York in his first two years with the Jets. The 6-foot-3, 206-pounder combined for 154 catches, 1,989 yards and 17 touchdowns (including 12 in 2015) over 28 games during those seasons. And before injuries derailed him last September, Decker again looked on track for a big year, catching nine passes for a whopping 194 yards and two scores.
By trading or releasing Decker, the Jets will save $7.5MM in cap space in each of the next two seasons. His exit will leave the Jets with Quincy Enunwa, Robby Anderson and two 2017 draft picks (third-rounder ArDarius Stewart and fourth-rounder Chad Hansen) as their top receivers entering the upcoming season. Decker, meanwhile, will join fellow accomplished veteran wideouts Jeremy Maclin, Anquan Boldin, Eddie Royal and Steve Johnson on the open market if the Jets don’t find a taker for him via trade.
Really? Cmon! I’m getting tired of this organization
Can we finally call them the worst organization in the NFL?
Browns still play
Why dump Decker?? Why now this late in the offseason? I don’t get it at all
to ensure an 0-16 season to get Sam Darnold
Bingo
Without Decker that might be the NFL’s worst receiving corp in the last two decades. Enunwa is a WR3 on even a mediocre team.
Worse than my Browns?
Yah def worse. The browns atleast have a potential #1 WR in Coleman. The jets have a group of #3s&4s. Unless Stewart is the real deal
Yeah Enunwa did show some flashes last year, but even at his peak he is seen more as a secondary or third option on a team lacking depth.
Stewart is certainly intriguing, to say the least. There are several comparisons going around, but the one that I really like is Anquan Boldin. Obviously, Boldin, arguably, has so far had a career worthy of the Hall of Fame, so those are some lofty, unlikely to be met projections, BUT the physical style of play and the body type is there for Stewart.
Most likely Stewart, even if he fills his potential, could become a solid #2 option, so I doubt he will ever be a true #1, but like Boldin, there is nothing, absolutely, nothing wrong with being a solid #2.
Obviously? Or arguably? Ha
Yay! My Browns won something.
not gonna trade him now that they said they will release him
Ehh…I think you are pretty much correct. The ONLY scenario I could see a team even forking anything over in a trade, is if said team thinks they might not be able to persuade Decker into signing with them once he is released and becomes a free agent…
Although, even with that being said, his value now is virtually next to nothing, since the Jets already have proclaimed he would get released. I mean maybe they can move up a couple of draft spots by trading away their 6th or 7th round pick for a team’s 5th or 6th rounder?? Or maybe they can just pick up a 6th rounder, at the most, but with the Jets’ course of actions, that would be his absolute maximum value as of right now.
Bingo.
Seems weird to wait this long, they knew they were rebuilding and he had more value before the draft.
Only thought is they didn’t know in the winter they were gonna draft two wr. Maybe they like what they got and figure better to save money then waste it. Decker is past his prime and off injury season. And they don’t hope to score big with a trade, kinda similar to Pryors trade. If a team needs a wr and doesn’t want to chance another team scooping him up, the can trade their own guy they don’t want or need to the jets.
It really has to be a tough one to be a Jets fan right now. I mean believe me when I say I am quite aware of how tough sticking with your favorite team can be, I am a 49ers fan. Now, the 49ers not only pressed reset on their whole roster, but also their coaching staff and their GM and front office, which has provided the 49ers fan base with a bit of a spark.
I do not know exactly what Jets fans are looking forward to in hopes of a turnaround, BUT they are slowly starting to put in some young talent in some key areas of need…
They did do well starting to turn around the backside of their secondary with a young combo of Jamal Adams at FS and Marcus Maye at SS..With those two, plus D. Lee and Jordan Jenkins the Jets are starting to get some key young players at the key LB and Safety spots. Then of course they will still have the 3-headed dragon that is Richardson, Wilkerson, and Williams at their disposal along the DL..They just need to add some talented CB’s and maybe another LB, and then their defense will be solid again.
Also, they might have gotten a steal when they possobly grabbed a young Anquan Boldin in their 3rd round pick of ArDarius Stewart, so if he can grow and develop with Enunwa they could end up being a fairly solid combination. Take those two WR’s and add in their 5th rounder, TE Jordan Leggett, out of Clemson, and you can see that the Jets are slowly putting some pieces in place on offense as well. They need to continue to solidify their O-Line, add a true #1 at WR, and then next year draft a guy like UGA’s Sony Michel. One that can stay in the game on all 3 downs, and would be a solid weapon out of the backfield via the pass or run.
Are they going to contend?? No, even an even .500 marl would most likely be a miracle, but they are slowly building this team from the ground up, and with a few more solid drafts, they could become a team to eventually watch out for..
Their main issue and their main road block towards contention is their lack of a franchise QB, and until they can find a consistent starting QB, unfortunately they will continue drafting in the top 10.
I’d be shocked if this team won 3 games next season. No offense to speak of. Youth all over the defense. There’s rebuilding and there’s just not knowing what the hell you’re doing and I put the Jets in the latter category
So is the NFL the only sports league where you get released and the team doesn’t have to pay you?
yep. nba, mlb, nhl to my knowledge pay you out. Usually those sports, teams just want to remove the money off salary cap and kind of like side pay these guys in a way in certain situations. Nfl is straight like at will employment for the employer not but not the employee. It’s on the union for negotiating poorly for the NFL, especially since they go through the most punishment
If Maclin goes to Buffalo then Decker will be a Raven