Eric Decker Is Dropping Some Passes At Patriots Practices
BOSTON (CBS) -- When the Patriots signed wide receiver Eric Decker out of free agency this summer, the team appeared to have acquired a reliable veteran at a position where they really needed one. That still may pan out for the Patriots, but thus far, Decker is off to a bit of a rocky start.
Namely, Decker has had trouble holding on to the football, as has been noted multiple times from reporters covering practice down in Foxboro.
Not the best practice for Eric Decker today. He acknowledged it and said I have to catch the ball better and learn from the mistakes. #WBZ #Patriots pic.twitter.com/HbrhQt31n1
— Levan Reid (@LevanReid) August 13, 2018
WR Eric Decker is still having a pretty hard time in Patriots camp. He pushed off on Patrick Chung to make a catch in 1-on-1s and dropped his second target.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) August 13, 2018
Decker dropped two more passes during a side session with the quarterbacks. Drops have been a major issue for Decker this summer.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) August 13, 2018
I asked someone with the Titans about Decker's performance last year. Drops were a big theme https://t.co/0WrNTe0d5b
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) August 13, 2018
Brian Hoyer not getting a lot of help out here. Three consecutive passes on the money in an 11-on-11 period, all three dropped. James White, Paul Turner, Will Tye the offenders.
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) August 13, 2018
Drops an issue today for Eric Decker as well.
Incredible number of drops today. Eric Decker has committed a few. James White, Will Tye also dropped passes in last 11-on-11 period.
— Kevin Duffy (@KevinRDuffy) August 13, 2018
Eric Decker and Tom Brady walked out to the practice field together. Decker had a rough practice yesterday with a few drops.
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) August 13, 2018
Drops today: Decker, Gillislee and Berrios. Fumbles: Hill, Tye
— Mark Daniels (@MarkDanielsPJ) August 8, 2018
Decker dropped the first pass Brady threw to him in an 11v11 setting
— Mark Daniels (@MarkDanielsPJ) August 8, 2018
Brady was 16 of 29 with an interception. He spent a lot of time with Eric Decker, who had three drops in early work (1-on-1 and side session with Brady) and ran two wrong routes but finished with a couple nice catches.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) August 13, 2018
Crap ton of drops today. Eric Decker's hands have yet to make it here from previous stops though to his credit gained consistency after talk with Brady. Devin Lucien 2×, Gronk, James White, Will Tye & Paul Turner also let em hit the ground.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) August 13, 2018
"I mean, there's no excuses for it," Decker told reporters after Monday's practice. "It's something I've obviously got to address and that's something you work through. In my mind, that's why God created practice. It's just to be able to get better and try to flush that out. But my job is to catch the football, so I've got to do better in that field."
An issue with drops isn't necessarily a new problem for Decker. According to Pro Football Focus, Decker dropped five passes last season, after averaging nine drops per year for five seasons from 2011-15. Decker also had a high-profile drop during the Titans' playoff win in Kansas City last season:
Eric Decker big drop on third down pic.twitter.com/wm9Spr28ti
— Tailgate Sports (@_TailgateSports) January 6, 2018
Titans fans in Nashville not happy with the drop by Eric Decker on 3rd down pic.twitter.com/5LFRVsKV87
— Tennessean (@Tennessean) January 6, 2018
Of course, practice is just practice. And with Decker not taking any snaps last Thursday in the Patriots' preseason opener, the 31-year-old receiver has yet to even take a snap against another team as he gets to know the Patriots' offense. Plus, during Monday's practice he made up for some of the drops.
Eric Decker committed a few drops early in practice (one on air), but he's rebounded nicely. Just beat Jon Jones to catch a deep ball from Brady.
— Kevin Duffy (@KevinRDuffy) August 13, 2018
Decker has rebounded a little in practice. He's made three straight catches after three drops earlier in practice.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) August 13, 2018
It's not at a level of being a significant issue by any means, but as far as training camp storylines go, it at the very least warrants monitoring as the summer practices and preseason games continue.