Jackson to Washington: Splash or Crash?
DeSean Jackson’s free agency crash course has now come to an end. After less than a week after being released by the Philadelphia Eagles, Jackson has found a new home in the nations capital. From the moment he was released, several teams showed high interest in him, notably the Bills and Raiders, with Washington being the front runners.
A few days before his signing, he had what you could call a faithful meeting with RG3 in LA. Griffin, along with many other players for Washington seemed to show a strong interest as well in their long time rival.
Even the bitterest of his foes, DeAngelo Hall, stated that it would “make my day…make my year” if the Skins were to sign Jackson. Well, Hall, it has been. Jackson has agreed to terms with Washington and has signed a 3-year contract worth $24 million, with $16 million gaurenteed. To many fans, this is believed to be one of Washington’s best signings in recent history. When it comes to a dynamic, albeit, outlandish receiver like Jackson, there is a multitude of pro’s and con’s.
Starting with the positive right up front, Jackson obviously brings a lot more depth to the receiver position, one that is already filled with stars and young up-and-comers. Garcon and Moss remain the seasoned veterans, while Hankerson, Robinson, and Reed stay the promising prospects. What Jackson brings is something Washington has lacked at the wideout position for quite some time; speed. The potential for mismatches and big plays given the receiving core and Jay Gruden’s system are staggering. Garcon is a crisp route runner, Moss, who is year by year slowing in performance, is still at times an effective slot weapon. Hankerson and Reed should thrive in Gruden’s offense, and when big plays are needed, Jackson is the trumpcard. The Redskins have the potential to do what Philadelphia did with Jackson, and that’s the ability to spread the defense tremendously, giving the RB’s multiple holes and lanes to work with, and that should not be a concern considering Alfred Morris can barrel through defenders consistently but also finesse the opposition when needed. Then comes special teams, which his plagued Washington for years. Brandon Banks was for awhile their momentum shifter, but has flaunted detrimentally in recent years. Jackson’s elusiveness and lateral quickness is unmatched by most save for a very few, and this is the type of versatilely the Redskins desperately needed.
As for the negative, we cannot escape the fact that Jackson has a tendency to become selfish and behave in an unsportsmanlike manner at some of the worst possible times. It has not only cost him in the NFL, but in Cal as well. While he was indeed a star in Philly, there were times the team and fans wanted his head. His habit of premature celebration costed his team TD’s and momentum every now and then, and it was the manner in which he did it that really grasped the attention of not only players, but fans as well. If Jackson cannot deviate from his selfish ways, it could be the downfall for not only him but for Washington too. He has yet to fully understand the price unsportsmanlike conduct can bring, and if he does not learn soon, he could find himself looking for another team shortly.
The signing of DeSean Jackson has drawled a mostly positive response from fans, with many believing it will turn out to be one of the best splashes the Skins have made in the market in years. If Jackson does indeed learn to stray away from his selfish style of play and focus upon doing his best to help the team win, this will indeed have been a great move by Snyder. If not, Skins fans will be looking dead in the face of another Albert Haynesworth.
