BREAKING: Patriots wide receiver Eric Decker announces his retirement

When the New England Patriots signed free agent Eric Decker to a one-year contract in early August Limited Shaq Mason Jersey , he was given the chance to compete for a roster spot on a wide receiver depth chart in flux. However, three weeks into his stint with the team it became increasingly clear that Decker was far from a lock to make the team – quite the opposite: after struggling during practice and preseason, the veteran was a likely cut-down casualty.However, Decker will not be released next week. Why? Because he took to Instagram earlier today to announce his retirement from the NFL:Before joining the Patriots Drew Bledsoe Jersey Salute to Service , Decker spent four years with the Denver Broncos, three with the New York Jets, and one with the Tennessee Titans. The 31-year old, who was originally drafted when New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was still head coach in Denver Authentic Malcom Brown Jersey , ends his career with 439 receptions for 5,816 yards and 53 touchdowns.With Decker out of the picture, the Patriots’ wide receiver group takes even more shape: Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett Limited Duron Harmon Jersey , Cordarrelle Patterson and Matthew Slater will be on the team’s day one roster, with Julian Edelman joining them on the team after his four-week suspension. Braxton Berrios, Riley McCarron and Devin Lucien are fighting for the fifth wideout spot on the team. There will be plenty of errors for the Patriots to look at when they study the film of Sunday’s game against the Bears, but they can take some comfort from the fact that they aren’t licking their wounds after a loss.The Patriots overcame three turnovers and a last gasp throw from Mitchell Trubisky to Kevin White to leave Chicago with a 38-31 win. Trubisky uncorked a ball from near midfield to White Lawrence Guy Jersey , who caught it just short of the end zone and wound up being stopped of a touchdown.Chicago’s last chance came after the Patriots chose to punt on 4th-and-6 from the Bears’ 33-yard-line with 30 seconds left. Ryan Allen‘s punt went into the end zone and three completions put the Bears in position to try for a miracle. It wasn’t to be and a pair of interceptions by Trubisky earlier in the second half loom even larger given how close the Bears came to catching up to the Patriots.Tom Brady threw an interception as well — he’s up to seven on the season — and the Patriots lost two fumbles to help the Bears grab a 17-7 lead in the first half. New England was back in the lead by halftime as Cordarrelle Patterson returned a kickoff for a touchdown and James White scored the first of his two touchdowns on the day. They’d add another special teams score when Dont'a Hightower blocked a punt that Kyle Van Noy returned for a touchdown and their play in that phase of the game was essential to the fifth Patriots win of the season.The Patriots will get an extra day to prepare for the Bills next Monday night and part of that process is going to include figuring out whether they’ll have running back Sony Michel. Michel left with a knee injury in the first half and it looked like the kind of injury that could keep him out for a while.Tight end Rob Gronkowski‘s condition will also be a hot topic after he missed Sunday’s game due to a reappearance of the back problems that have plagued him throughout his career. That absence didn’t stop the Patriots from winning on Sunday and Josh Gordon had his first 100-yard day as a Patriot, but they’d surely prefer to have his help in the coming weeks.