Eric Decker signs with Tennessee Titans

Eric Decker has officially signed with the Tennessee Titans, providing another AFC contender with another offensive weapon.

The AFC playoff picture is getting a bit more exciting as another contender has added a skill position weapon to strengthen an already impressive offense. The Tennessee Titans have added Eric Decker, per Adam Schefter’s report, to give Marcus Mariota yet another option in the passing game.

The Titans were already expected to take a serious step forward in 2017 due to the maturation of Mariota and the addition of new weapons around him. The team double-dipped at the wide receiver position in the 2017 NFL Draft when they selected Corey Davis at No. 5 overall and then grabbed Taywan Taylor in the third round. Both players should be instant contributors, and Taylor especially has been given rave reviews in minicamp. The team also drafted Jonnu Smith, tight end, early in the draft as well, surrounding Mariota with all new weapons.

Decker will be a nice dependable veteran target who has proven very effective in the red zone over the years. The New York Jets had little use for an aging veteran on a team going nowhere, so it’s understandable why they let him go, but like Jeremy Maclin before him, he still has plenty left.

Last season Decker had 9 catches for 194 yards in just three games for the Jets, but when he’s healthy, Decker is capable of being a 100 plus target receiver. The previous season, Decker caught 80 passes for 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns. Three of his last four full seasons, Decker has hauled in double-digit touchdowns.

If the Titans weren’t enough of a threat already to contend for a wild-card position, their offensive revamping should help keep them afloat near or at the top of the AFC South and make them a contender to keep other teams out of the postseason. Don’t forget the Chiefs and Broncos have two of the most difficult schedules in the NFL this season, which means a team like the Titans who have gotten better yet face an easier slate could pull off a better record and skate into the postseason if a team like K.C. can’t clinch the division outright.