The New York Jets host the Buffalo Bills at MetLife

New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) makes a catch out of the reach of Buffalo Bills defensive back Nickell Robey (37) for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Jets lost 22-17. East Rutherford, NJ 11/13/15 (NJ Advance Media)

FLORHAM PARK -- Eric Decker isn't known as a deep receiver. Never has been.

Sure-handed? Absolutely. Superb route runner? Definitely. Technically sound? 100 percent. But for all the things Decker is, he's not regarded as a player that can stretch the field.

The Jets, this season, are hoping to change that perception.

"You'll see more of that this year," Jets receivers coach Karl Dorrell said Wednesday. "Eric will surprise a lot of people."

It's hard to imagine Decker, who's entering his seventh season, "surprising" anyone. Most players are considered established once they cross that fifth-year mark. Sure, they can always get better. But who they are -- strengths and weaknesses -- is usually defined.

Decker has appeared in 92 games since being selected by the Broncos in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He has caught 376 passes for 5,059 yards and 50 touchdowns during that time. His yards per catch average? 13.5. Not bad, but it certainly doesn't scream "field-stretcher."

The San Francisco 49ers' Torrey Smith averaged 20.1 yards per catch in 2015. The Jacksonville Jaguars' Allen Robinson averaged 17.5. The Washington Redskins' DeSean Jackson averaged 17.6. Those guys are known as deep threats.

Extending the number a bit further, just 16 of Decker's 80 catches last year went for 20 or more yards. That ranked 17th in the NFL. Since Decker entered the NFL (excluding his rookie season when he caught six passes), he's ranked 58th, 39th, 9th and 37th in 20-plus yard receptions. The year Decker ranked 9th was the same season the Broncos' offense broke basically every record known to humankind.

Analytically, the numbers say Decker is strictly a possession receiver. The Jets say those numbers are lying.

"Eric can get deep," Dorrell said. "He can sneak by you and do those things."

In the Jets' offense last year, Decker wasn't asked to go deep. The team had Brandon Marshall, Kenbrell Thompkins and others to do that. Decker worked out of the slot, dominated defenders with his route running and made the tough grabs.

This year, the Jets are expanding Decker's role. Anyone who attended a Jets training camp practice could tell you that.

On a relatively regular occurrence, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick would gear up and launch one deep down the field in Decker's direction. Not every pass was completed. But the threat was there.

Now, the key is connecting on the game day field.

"He lets me know he can do those things in practice," Dorrell said. "We're opening our playbook a little more which should allow him to do some things."

Connor Hughes may be reached at chughes@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connor_J_Hughes. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.