Jets Agree To 5-Year Contract With Free Agent Wide Receiver Decker
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It took a while, but the Jets finally got their guy.
On a day when fans watched in horror as former standout cornerback Darrelle Revis was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers only to sign a one-year, $12 million contract with the New England Patriots, the Jets struck back just before midnight, coming to terms with free agent wide receiver Eric Decker on a five-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.
Decker, labeled by many as the top wide receiver available on the open market this offseason, will receive $36.25 million, with $15 million guaranteed, over the life of the contract, the Daily News reported.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old wideout spent the day in Florham Park, N.J., being courted by the Jets, and as of late Wednesday evening was still in town and reportedly spotted out at a local restaurant with general manager John Idzik.
Decker is coming off the best season of his four-year career, all spent with the Denver Broncos.
Over the last two seasons, he recorded 172 receptions, 2,352 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he did it catching passes from three quarterbacks -- Tim Tebow, Kyle Orton and Peyton Manning.
Decker and Manning hooked up 87 times for 1,288 yards and 11 TDs in 2013.
It has also been widely reported that the Jets are targeting wide receiver James Jones, who enjoyed success over the last several seasons with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.
Landing both Decker and Jones would be a major coup for New York, considering it had one of the weakest receiver units in the NFL last season. However, adding the two veterans to a group featuring Jeremy Kerley and David Nelson would give second-year quarterback Geno Smith four viable targets.
The Jets are also reportedly pursuing free agent quarterback Michael Vick.
ADDRESSING THE OFFENSIVE LINE, TOO
Suddenly needing to rebuild the right side of their offensive line, the Jets got busy earlier Wednesday, luring a Super Bowl champion to Florham Park.
The Jets reportedly came to terms with former Seattle Seahawks right tackle Breno Giacomini on an undisclosed contract.
A 2008 fifth-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers, Giacomini started 33 games over the past three seasons with Seattle, including nine last season during the Seahawks' run to their first Super Bowl championship.
On the surface, Giacomini is not the player that Austin Howard is, but for the time being the Jets believe he can be a suitable fill-in. The 28-year-old lineman out of Louisville struggled through a knee injury and a bout with penalties in 2013. However, he will bring intensity to a unit that will in all likelihood be without Howard and right guard and emotional leader Willie Colon, who is an unrestricted free agent.
The Jets were forced to pursue Giacomini after they chose not to match the five-year, $30 million contract offer given to Howard by the Oakland Raiders.
The Giacomini agreement followed the earlier signing of defensive lineman Leger Douzable to a one-year deal.
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