New England Patriots: Eric Decker makes no sense for team

The New England Patriots signing veteran wide receiver Eric Decker would make no sense for the team.

Given the status and consistency of the New England Patriots, they are always a popular destination for veterans. If a player is nearing the end of their career and looking for a chance to win, New England usually pops up as a potential landing spot. Wide receiver Eric Decker could fit that bill.

Decker played last season with the Tennessee Titans. He did not have a good regular season, but some of that blame could be placed on the Titans’ coaching staff. However, he did come alive in the postseason with eight receptions for 106 yards and one touchdown in two games.

Decker showed he had something left in the tank despite the underwhelming regular season. Despite that, he has met an ice-cold market this offseason. However, in a recent interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio, Decker expressed interest in New England.

Decker has some connections to the team. Offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, drafted Decker while with the Denver Broncos. He also noted that New England showed interest in him last offseason when he was a free agent.

While interest was expressed the last offseason, the same should not be done this offseason. Even with Julian Edelman potentially facing a four-game suspension, the Patriots have a ton of depth at wide receiver, especially in the slot.

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Danny Amendola left in free agency to sign with the Miami Dolphins and Brandin Cooks was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. Despite that, the Patriots are pretty well set at wide receiver.

Jordan Matthews was signed in free agency and operates best in the slot. With their sixth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Patriots selected slot receiver, Braxton Berrios out of Miami (FL). Cordarrelle Patterson was also acquired from the Oakland Raiders via trade earlier in the offseason.

In addition to the new players, the Patriots also have Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett as holdovers from last year’s team. The team is also hopeful Malcolm Mitchell can return to the field this season after missing last season with knee injury.

With so many new faces already in the fold, it doesn’t make sense to add another one prior to training camp. While Decker has some familiarity working with McDaniels, adding another player to the mix, at this time, is not worthwhile.

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Decker hasn’t had a productive season since 2015. Seeing what they have and giving a shot to players already on the roster is the direction New England should go in, instead of signing another player.