Eric Decker Doesn’t Sound Like An Option For Minnesota

We’re to the point of the NFL offseason where we’re going to see a lot of “(Team X) is getting rid of (Player Y) and the Minnesota Vikings should definitely sign them” takes in the lead-up to the 2017 season. A player that is rumored to be on his way out with his current team has triggered a bit of that in the land of the purple this week.

Eric Decker, the current New York Jets’ wide receiver, is rumored to be getting either released or traded by the end of this week. A couple of weeks ago, Decker might have been someone that would have held a lot of intrigue and possibility for the Vikings. However, it doesn’t sound as though the team is going to be interested in pursuing him if he comes available.

“We always look at everybody that is released, but we feel pretty confident with our receiving corps right now,’’ Spielman said. “Just watching Stefon Diggs (and) Adam Thielen. … Laquon Treadwell is totally different (than as a rookie last year). … And to pick up a Michael Floyd, he’s been real impressive.

“Jarius Wright, he’s been kind of a forgotten man, but he’s out there making plays every day and we have two rookies that are pretty impressive so far (in Rodney Adams and Stacy Coley). So we feel pretty confident at this point where our depth is at that position, that we do have some weapons. … But … you never know. We always keep the door open for everybody.’’

The Vikings have done a lot of work with their receiver corps recently, particularly with the Michael Floyd signing. The depth chart for the Vikings at wide receiver might not be one that people that aren’t as familiar with the Vikings would make a big deal about, but it is pretty solid at this point. The team likes the progress that Treadwell has made this offseason after a lost rookie year, Floyd is looking to get himself back on track after a disastrous 2016, and Diggs and Thielen are already a solid 1-2 punch that have already developed some chemistry with Sam Bradford.

Throw in the two rookies that Spielman mentioned in the story from the Pioneer Press that’s linked above, and a potential wild card like Moritz Böhringer, and there just doesn’t appear to be a lot of room on the depth chart for someone like Decker at this point. I’m assuming that Decker wouldn’t come particularly cheap, either. He played in just three games in 2016, but had 12 touchdowns the year before that and is still just 30 years old.

But, if anyone was holding out hope that the Vikings would be pursuing another local guy, it doesn’t appear as though that’s going to be the case.