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Receiver Eric Decker says he is retiring from the NFL after an eight-year career with the Broncos, Jets and Titans.
Decker had been in training camp with the Patriots this summer, but it wasn’t clear he would make the roster. He said on Instagram on Sunday, “This has been a passion inside of me since I was a little boy but now it is time for me to hang up my helmet and start a new chapter in my life.”
Decker caught 439 passes for 5,816 yards and 53 touchdowns in his career. He had three 1,000-yard receiving seasons, including a career-best 1,288 yards on 87 receptions in 2013 with Denver, when he reached the Super Bowl for the only time in his career.
He had two catches for 12 yards this preseason.
Packers-Colts trade
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers’ acquisition of linebacker Antonio Morrison from the Indianapolis Colts had as much to do with the season-ending knee injury suffered by Jake Ryan a month ago as Oren Burks’ recent shoulder injury.
Green Bay needed another player with NFL experience at inside linebacker.
Since Ryan went down July 31, third-year player Blake Martinez has been surrounded by nothing but inexperience — third-round rookie Burks and undrafted free agents Ahmad Thomas, Greer Martini, Naashon Hughes, Marcus Porter and James Crawford. They were all in their first NFL training camp.
“Antonio is obviously an experienced linebacker, and if you look at the youth of the group, something that we felt we needed to add,” coach Mike McCarthy said.
Morrison changes the equation. A fourth-round pick in 2016, the 6-foot-1, 241-pounder played in 31 games in two seasons with the Colts. Of his 19 career starts, 15 came last season, when he finished with a team-high 109 tackles.
Burks, who replaced Ryan in the starting lineup and had formed the No. 1 tandem with Martinez, dislocated a shoulder before Friday’s game at the Oakland Raiders. McCarthy said the test results were better than anticipated and the injury “should not be a long-term deal.”
“That’s what it’s looking like,” Burks said. “But at the same time, just trying to take it one day at a time and do the rehab.”
Martini, who was more of a special-teams standout at Notre Dame, and Thomas, who played safety at Oklahoma, rotated in with Martinez throughout the first half at Oakland. They’ll get the bulk of the playing time in Thursday night’s preseason finale at Kansas City.
“Super proud of them,” Burks said. “ It’s a new opportunity. Like when I had to step up, it’s time for them to step up.”
General manager Brian Gutekunst dealt from a position of strength to bolster a position of weakness by dealing cornerback Lenzy Pipkins. Pipkins flashed potential in 12 games last season, which included extensive action in both games against Minnesota.
But with Gutekunst adding Tramon Williams in free agency and using his first two draft picks on Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson, Pipkins became expendable.
Vikings-Giants trade
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings, who are running out of time before the regular season begins for rehabilitating center Pat Elflein to return, took a step toward protecting themselves by acquiring center Brett Jones in a trade with the New York Giants for a draft pick.
The deal, which is contingent on Jones passing a physical exam, was announced on Sunday. The Vikings didn’t disclose the selection, but NFL Media reported it’s a seventh-round choice in 2019.
The trade was made hours after coach Mike Zimmer said Elflein would not be ready to practice with the team this week, with the second year starter still working his way back from offseason surgeries on his ankle and shoulder.
“He’s going to practice when he’s ready to go,” Zimmer said. “I don’t know when that’s going to be.”
Elflein was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp, but Zimmer said he didn’t believe Elflein would land on the reserve PUP list next weekend when 53-man rosters must be established around the league. In that case, a player must sit out the first six weeks before he can resume practicing or playing.
Titans
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews has passed his physical and been removed from the physically unable to perform list.
The Titans announced the roster move Sunday. They also placed receiver Michael Campanaro on injured reserve.
Matthews has been cleared to practice after missing all of the team’s offseason program and most of the preseason. He has led the Titans with 1,740 yards receiving and 13 touchdown catches over the past two seasons. Only three-time Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker has more catches than Matthews’ 118 in that span.
Over the past two years, Matthews ranks ninth among NFL players with at least 100 catches, averaging 14.7 yards per catch.
Matthews signed a one-year contract extension with Tennessee last week.
Broncos
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Adam “Pacman” Jones is reuniting with Vance Joseph, who was his Cincinnati’s secondary coach during the veteran cornerback’s best seasons in the NFL.
Jones signed a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos after visiting the team on Sunday. To make room, the Broncos waived inside linebacker Bo Bower.
The sixth overall pick of the 2005 draft, Jones had been out of the NFL since March when the Cincinnati Bengals declined to pick up his $5.5 million contract option.
Jones spent his past eight seasons in Cincinnati, starting 68 games at cornerback and returning punts and kickoffs. He started 39 games over the past three seasons, but his 2017 season was cut short by a groin injury.
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