Wide receiver Eric Decker has bid farewell to this year after he was placed by the New York Jets on injured reserved due to a season-ending shoulder injury. Due to his absence, the Jets could look to bringing someone to replace him such as Jeremy Ross.
Decker suffered the injury during the Week 2 match against the Buffalo Bills, which is currently the only game that the Jets have won. Despite his injury, he was still able to return to the field for Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
However, following that game, he admitted to his team that he has aggravated his injury. Because of his condition, Decker will have to undergo a surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff on his shoulder. His condition, along with the recovery time that he will need following the medical procedure, will most likely put him out of the rest of the season.
"It really hurts. He's one of the great receivers in the league," fellow wide receiver Brandon Marshall said after learning about Decker's condition. "We're more than confident in the younger guys we have."
"I'll have the No. 1 corner on me, hopefully, most of the year - or roll coverage - so those guys will have favorable matchups," he continued. "It's on them to take advantage of that. It's their opportunity to show the NFL what they're about."
Decker's absence certainly puts unwanted pressure on the Jets to perform well at Week 6 when they go up against the Arizona Cardinals, a team that just came from a major win against the San Francisco 49ers.
With the New York franchise struggling to keep its team afloat this season, it could sign a free agent to serve as a replacement for Decker even for just this year. One possible candidate is Ross.
This veteran wide receiver has been in the NFL since 2011 after joining the New England Patriots. He joined the Jets in April of this year before he was released in September as part of the team's roster cuts. He was then signed again on Sept. 29 before getting cut again earlier this week.
As noted by Marshall, he will most likely take on the No. 1 spot in Decker's absence but adding Ross to the mix can provide him with an effective reliever on the field. These two could also team up to help shape the team's younger receivers.
