Like seeing a former significant other thrive at life with his or her new squeeze, Eric Decker finds it difficult to view Peyton Manning and the Broncos' offense hum along with Emmanuel Sanders playing his former role.
"Honestly, sometimes it's hard to watch them when they're playing," Decker told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News this week. "When they're clicking on all cylinders, they're a tough football team. They got the right pieces."
Decker spent four seasons with the Broncos and in the two years with Manning had 172 catches for 2,352 yards and 24 touchdowns.
While Decker signed with the New York Jets in the offseason, the Broncos swapped in Sanders and haven't missed a beat.
"Emmanuel Sanders is playing well in my spot, so to speak," Decker said. "Sometimes, you know, it's tough to see all the success. But that's football. It's going to go in swings. Who says we can't be a great football team? We got to obviously do some right things to get there, but I'm happy for Peyton and Demaryius (Thomas). I respect them so much. They're all good friends, so I like to see them do well, but sometimes it's hard."
Decker has 36 million reasons to be happy in New York (15 million of those reasons guaranteed) and he says he doesn't regret leaving Manning and the Broncos.
But trading Peyton for Geno Smith and Michael Vick could make anyone yearn wistfully for the past.
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