Despite being labeled as a veteran leader among the receivers by fellow wideout Brandon Stokley, in some ways Eric Decker and this year’s rookie class have a lot in common this offseason.
Like this year’s rookies, Decker is going through his first typical NFL offseason.
After he was drafted in 2010, Decker spent his offseason recovering from a foot injury and wasn’t able to participate in OTAs. Last season, there were no OTAs due to the lockout.
Now, Decker is enjoying being out on the field with his teammates working to build on his breakout 2011 campaign.
“Personally it’s been great,” Decker said. “Just the fact of having time to work your craft, to get in the weight room and focus on certain things that make you more explosive that can help you on the football field. Also just being able to catch balls every day, run routes, go against the defense, work on your releases and work on the top of your cuts. It just makes it so much easier when training camp rolls around in August.”
Along with wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who is also entering his third NFL season in 2012, Decker will be viewed as a veteran leader for the receiving corps.
That means it is up to him and Thomas to set the tone for the group as the team assembles for the first time during the offseason for OTAs.
“Right now expectations for us are just to utilize this time to work on our craft, to get better,” Decker said. “We know that if we take advantage of every opportunity that we get, we’ll set ourselves up for a successful training camp. I think we’re going to set our goals high and our expectations are going to be high for ourselves.”
Decker suffered a knee injury during Denver’s Wild Card victory over Pittsburgh in January and as soon as he got back to full strength, which he estimated came in early February, he began working towards the 2012 season.
“I was happy with how my body kind of responded,” he said. “The training staff here did a great job of getting me back. So far no setbacks, no pain.”
Since the Broncos signed free agent quarterback Peyton Manning, Decker has been running routes and catching passes from the four-time NFL MVP trying to build chemistry.
Just as helpful as his time spent catching passes from a future Hall of Famer in Manning has been running routes against another future Hall of Famer in cornerback Champ Bailey.
“Working with Peyton Manning is a dream come true in my mind and going against Champ Bailey is frustrating at times, but it’s what you want,” Decker smiled. “He’s a guy that is going to make you better as far as every piece of what we do as a wide receive. I respect Champ so much. He does help as a younger (receiving) corps, ‘Try this on your release, try this on the top of your route.’ He’s been great to have on our team.”
-Stuart Zaas
Tags: Eric Decker
Dirty Harry on AMC!!! Great movie!
Wife keeps calling me to watch Idol!!
ALL HAIL THE NECK
FTR
you wanna know who wins ftr
I do not want a time out—LOL
FTR
I was so pissed that that show made a second season… now it’s on like what 12 or 11 too many?
I use to tell my Girlfriend that if she’d just quit watching it it would go away… FAIL
and Sweet, got a that that and an it it all in the same post!!!
I am out
FTR
Nice turtle and i hear ya ftr lol
I think I might head to bed as well! Nice Chatting
B-R-O-N-C-O-S BRONCOS BRONCOS BRONCOS
(I had to break out the 1997 AFC Champions T-Shirt tonight, and regardless of what I think our record will end up, I’m getting really excited for some DENVER BRONCOS FOOTBALL!!!)
adios
Hey Turtle, will you post your email address again? I didn’t write it down, and don’t want to have to go back and look for it. Have something to send you. Thanks!
Here you go Ms Tide!!! Have a good night! Norman and Daisy are taking solids regularly and starting to grow a little!!!
One_ace_to_go@hotmail.com
Good Night all!
Congrats AB!!!!!!!
FTR,easy on that Bud Lite Platinum bro,it’s 6.0% alcohol,I like it tho!
my stupid internet is screwed up again Damnit!!!
peace out Broncos Country!!!!!!!!!!
long live”THE NECK”
BFE
FTR one thing is for sure dude,you move out here and it’s almost 1:00 AM now,it’s Hell trying to change time zones dude,believe me I know!
ILMSDB!!!!!!!!!!
I’m out!
BFE
Von Miller is #52 on the Top 100 NFL players of 2012!!! That makes 3 Broncos so far…. McGehee, Dumervil, and now Miller!!! Way to go Von… The accolades just keep coming for this guy!!!
with manning as the starter & all acquisition’s made the deck is not full but stacked then the defense giving them a short field
to work with the crush is back
Eric Decker is a great receiver with good hands, good speed, and one of the smartest in the game! Keep up the great work!!!
GO BRONCOS!!!
Morning Broncos Country!
OT………..the rangers were in deep trouble, clawed back into the game, pretty much dominated the 2nd and 3rd periods, only to lose on the devils only scoring chance in the third. Tough loss buddy. I’m pretty certain it will end up going 7 games like we had already said.
Big congrats to Von Miller on being named number 52. He might have been even higher had he not been injured during the season. Even still, a pretty remarkable accomplishment for a rookie to even be in the top 100………and almost the top 50!
Congrats to AB! You’re a step closer to joining the brotherhood of us married men. It’s a life long sentence buddy! hahaha JK! When you’re with the love of your life, marriage is a wonderful thing………most times! haha
Got some pretty high expectations of this receiving corps this year. With their skill level and PM delivering the ball, I see great things happening in the air this year. I think we’ll easily see 300+ throwing yards and 100+ rushing yards on a consistant basis. Our balanced attack will keep other teams off balance.
Apart from the division games, I really want to see us stick it to the steelers, pats and the ravens!
Where’s my man TRB? You usually chime in by now. Being on the far east coast on this blog sucks for the mornings! lol
O_C – I play guitar… these days just mess around with the acoustic. Still have a couple of electrics I bring out once in a blue moon.
I love playing my acoustic/electric but since my little girl’s been born I haven’t had much of a chance to touch it. Actually sat down the other day and played a few licks of my favorite band, Cake, the other day. Felt great and reminded me how much I’ve missed it. Will def start to jam more often.
morning rbf1!
Good morning kod! nice to read you play some guitar as well!
yeah, I’m self-taught and I play rhythm guitar……….can’t play lead worth a crap! lol Nothing more of a rush for me though then playing solid rhythm guitar and having someone play lead with you. Love riffing on the blues and rock.
Also love playing drums as well……….GOTTA KEEP THE BEAT! I can also beat box pretty good too.
Yeah I love the drums as well. Been years since I’ve sat behind a trap set..
Turtle, my night was pretty good can’t complain.
Yup Kod, being on the east coast on a blog 2 hrs behind ur time means u will always be the first on. Not many of us are east coasters either so u pretty much gotta wait 2hrs for the rest to catch up lol. It can be a lil maddening.
TRB
I’ll have to check out some Cake.. never heard them.
Morning All… RBF, Cake Rocks! ‘Short Skirt, Long Jacket’ is a good song, ‘Going the Distance’ is a good song and ‘Sheep go to Heaven, Goats go to Hell’ is a Great Song!!!
Good to hear TRB! we got more snow last night and the little calves are hating the weather! good for the grass, horrible for animals…
I’ll check back in this evening! I’m in for my morning coffee and i’m going to go sit by the fire…
If McCoy was a hot commodity before, imagine what it might be after this season…
http://m.nfl.com/news/09000d5d82944ade/peyton-manning-broncos-coach-mike-mccoy-a-perfect-match/
new blog