Decker surprised Jets took Hackenberg in 2nd round

New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker was among many who weren't expecting his team to pick Christian Hackenberg in the second round of April's draft.

While Decker trusts the Jets' decision, he believes taking Hackenberg several rounds earlier than he was expected to be selected puts added pressure on the young passer.

"I was a little surprised, to be honest," Decker said Tuesday, according to Seth Walder of the New York Daily News. "To get a quarterback in the second round, that's a big decision. You're saying a lot about him.

"But again, Mike (Maccagnan), (the front office), they scout, they do their research and their homework for a reason. They saw something special in him. They wanted to get him earlier than later, I guess."

Negotiations with last year's starter Ryan Fitzpatrick remain at a standstill several months after he hit the open market, meaning the Jets could enter the upcoming season with Geno Smith under center and Hackenberg as his backup.

Decker would prefer to have a proven performer like Fitzpatrick back in the fold, however, as the Jets are stocked with veteran talent that's primed to win sooner rather than later.

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