Eric Decker, left, and Demaryius Thomas reunited for an October game between the Jets and Broncos in New York. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
If the Broncos’ don’t re-sign Demaryius Thomas in free agency, Eric Decker thinks his former teammate would look great in green.
In a phone interview with the New York Post, Decker said he spent some time with Thomas in Arizona this past week, trying to recruit the Broncos’ star receiver to New York. Thomas — who finished second in the league in regular-season receptions (111) and total receiving yards (1,619) in 2014 — is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March.
But despite Decker’s efforts, Thomas probably won’t make it to the open market. The Broncos are expected to at least franchise him, to retain his rights through the 2015 season, if not sign him to a longer-term deal.
CHART: Broncos free agents in 2015
But just in case …
“I’ve been pushing for the entire year now,” Decker said in a telephone interview with The Post. “It was just another opportunity to talk to him about it. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens. I think it would be tough for Denver to let him go. So whether they franchise-tag him here in the next month or give him a long-term deal, he’s just one of those premier players in this league. If he happens to make it to free agency, I would love to sign him because playing alongside him for four years and especially the last two years made it a lot of fun and made it a lot easier. He’s just one of the great players in this league.”
Last March, Decker signed a as a free agent after spending his first four years in the league in Denver.
During his tenure with the Broncos, Decker compiled 3,070 receiving yards (49.5 per game) and 33 touchdowns. In his lone season in New York, the 27-year-old, who was slowed by an injury he sustained in training camp, recorded 962 receiving yards (64.1 per game) and five touchdowns as the Jets finished 4-12.
Next season in New York, Decker — like Thomas, if he ends up staying in Denver — can look forward to a new coaching staff. Todd Bowles took over for Rex Ryan as head coach, and Chan Gailey, a former Broncos coordinator, was appointed the Jets’ offensive coordinator.
Changes abound for both receivers in 2015. But a change of uniform for Thomas? Seems a far-fetched.
