Eric Decker ‘a little surprised’ Jets drafted Christian Hackenberg

Yes, everyone likes to rip pundits who make immediate judgments on NFL teams’ draft picks. But what about when NFL players do so?

New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker was asked about the team’s decision to spend a second-round draft pick on Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg, and Decker couldn’t hide his reaction to the pick.

“I was a little surprised, to be honest,” Decker told the Newark Star-Ledger at the United Way of New York City’s Gridiron Gala.

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Decker wanted to be careful not to step on any important Jets toes. But he did explain why he was surprised.

“[Jets general manager] Mike [Maccagnan] and his scouts, they do their research and their homework for a reason. They saw something special in him, [and] wanted to get him earlier than later, I guess.”

Decker and Brandon Marshall both have shown public support for the quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, who led them last season. They both hope he re-signs with the Jets, but there’s no clarity on that right now. Jets owner Woody Johnson said Tuesday that there was “no news” on the Fitzpatrick front.

So did the Hackenberg pick suggest that Fitzpatrick isn’t likely to come back at this point? Decker clearly feels like the Jets were a playoff-caliber team a year ago, having missed out on a bid with a Week 17 loss. To him, the Jets should be thinking more short-term in terms of filling needs.

“Honestly, we have certain needs,” Decker said. “But again I’m not in the war room. I don’t scout and say, ‘Hey, this is what ourfive-year projection looks like.’ Because of what we did last year with Fitzpatrick and … to get a quarterback in the second round, that’s a big decision. You’re saying a lot about him and what he means to the franchise.”

Decker explained further why he thinks Fitzpatrick should be back.

“Just because of the camaraderie I’ve built and the relationship we had last year and what we can build upon,” Decker said. “I think he definitely the right man for the type of team we have now. It’s a team that I think is ready to win now. And we need someone, a veteran presence at the quarterback position.”

And as for Hackenberg, whom Decker just met recently?