Another receiver down: Eric Decker announces NFL retirement

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As far as mid-summer retirements go, the reaction to this one probably garnered more of a shoulder shrug and a nod than a spit-take. Can't really say you never saw it coming. 

Patriots receiver Eric Decker, 31, had difficulty getting his feet under him in New England since signing in early August. He had issues with drops. He hardly played with Tom Brady through two preseason games. He caught two passes on six targets for 12 total yards in his two exhibition contests in the Patriots offense. 

Though Decker had some experience in Josh McDaniels' system -- he was drafted by McDaniels and the Broncos in 2010 -- Brady was not Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow, and the Patriots offense had undergone its share of alterations over the last seven years.

It was a lot for Decker to take on, and he never seemed to gain any traction as a newcomer despite some one-on-one on-the-field tutorial time from Brady.

Decker's last target against the Panthers on Friday was a deep shot down the middle from Brian Hoyer. It was a well-thrown pass that a Panthers defensive back broke up at the last second, just before it hit Decker's hands.  The look on his face as he watched the Jumbotron for a replay was one of, "Are you kidding me?" 

At some point between then and Sunday afternoon, Decker decided he was done. He announced his retirement on his Instagram page. 

Decker split his eight seasoms between the Broncos, Jets, and Titans. He posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Broncos in 2012 and 2013, and went past the 1,000-yard mark again as a member of the Jets in 2015.

With Decker out of the mix, the Patriots remain perilously thin at wideout. Julian Edelman will be suspended for the first month of the season, leaving Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson as the locks available for Week 1. Riley McCarron, Braxton Berrios, Devin Lucien, Paul Turner and Matthew Slater (mainly a special-teamer) also remain on the roster. 

Upon Decker's arrival to Foxboro, he was considered a solid route-runner whose experience on the inside had some value. There was an opportunity there for him with Edelman out four weeks -- especially as first Malcolm Mitchell, then Jordan Matthews and Kenny Britt went out the door -- but it didn't take long for him to realize the union wasn't meant to be. 

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