New England Patriots

New Patriots Wide Receiver Eric Decker Compares Manning, Brady

Newly signed wide receiver Eric Decker addressed the media Tuesday, talking about what it's like to play with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Decker signed with the New England Patriots last week. He played last season with the Tennessee Titans, and before that, the New York Jets and Denver Broncos, where Manning finished his record-setting career.

"Same thing," Decker said Tuesday when asked how playing with Manning compares with playing with Brady. "I mean these guys have played a lot of football and they understand how to win, what the formula is, and Peyton's the same way. I took a lot of just the habits, you know, how he came to work, how he took care of himself physically, the way he watched tape, the way he practiced, the extra work he put in. Those things translate over to Sunday and I believe Tom's the same way just being around him the last few days."

Decker called Brady "one of the best, if not the best." He went on to refer to him as a "good teammate, fierce leader, big-time competitor and a guy that we depend on a lot."

The Patriots may be depending pretty heavily on Decker this season after recently parting ways with receivers Jordan Matthews and Malcolm Mitchell.

They'll also be without starting wide receiver Julian Edelman for the first four games of the season following his suspension for performance-enhancing substances.

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