Eric Decker is reportedly off to an uneven start at Patriots training camp
The veteran receiver is competing for a roster spot during preseason.
Arriving into the rough waters of training camp competition, new Patriots signing Eric Decker is already immersed in a sink-or-swim scenario. So far, it’s been up and down.
The 31-year-old wide receiver was brought in by the Patriots on August 3 to add depth and potentially make an impact. After all, the physically imposing Minnesota native has multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his past.
Acclimating to any new team is a difficult undertaking in the fast paced rigors of training camp, let alone an 11-man wide receiver competition that’s been hotly contested from the opening practice.
In this environment, Decker has so far struggled on a few occasions with his primary function: catching the football. Reports out of practice indicated that he’s dropped passes at practice.
Eric Decker and Tom Brady walked out to the practice field together. Decker had a rough practice yesterday with a few drops.
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) August 13, 2018
Still, the normally dependable wideout has time to redress any negative perceptions about his ability to catch. The remaining preseason games provide the brightest spotlight for Decker to make his case to Bill Belichick and the Patriots’ coaching staff.
And daily practices offer a more frequent outlet for competition against his fellow receivers. In that regard, Decker improved as Monday moved along.
Eric Decker dropped two passes earlier in practice and was frustrated, but he’s now caught 3 in a row including a nice deep ball at the boundary from Brady.
— Nora Princiotti (@NoraPrinciotti) August 13, 2018
The next chance for Decker to showcase his talent in a game comes on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. when the Patriots play the Eagles in the team’s second preseason matchup.
