Update: DeSean Jackson reached a three-year agreement with the Redskins.
DeSean Jackson rumors: Washington negotiates while 49ers, Browns wait
DeSean Jackson may be negotiating with the Washington Redskins, but the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers could also be interested.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Redskins are the favorites to land wide receiver DeSean Jackson, and the two sides are now talking contract, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Jackson has met with the Redskins and only the Redskins to this point, despite the earliest rumors following his release focusing primarily on the Oakland Raiders.
Jackson is on the second day of his visit and obviously, things have gone well enough for contract talks to pick up. Where those talks will go is anyone’s guess, but it’s fairly obvious that Jackson does have some demand and will be looking for top dollar. In other words: he’s not interested in a pay cut.
NFL Free Agency
The veteran receiver has already met with Washington coaches and has a meeting with owner Dan Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen at some point on Tuesday, according to the report. There also have been reports of Redskins players taking Jackson “out on the town,” and generally encouraging him to sign with the team.
While Washington is obviously the favorite at this point, it’s easy to imagine Jackson and the Redskins not coming to terms given the dollar amount Jackson is likely after and the limited cap room in Washington. If a deal falls through, there would be multiple teams willing to negotiate with Jackson, and it stands to reason that one of them would give him the $8-plus million per season that he’s probably looking for.
Jackson, despite his off-the-field issues and his release, is far beyond a "prove-it" deal. He's not going to sign a one-year contract unless it's for big money, and likely wants the aforementioned big money in a long-term deal. With teams like the Raiders and Buffalo Bills showing interest, the list of teams in the Jackson sweepstakes only grew on Tuesday.
Two teams in particular entered the race as "seriously interested" parties in Jackson's abilities. The first is a rumor that claimed the Cleveland Browns are making a push for the receiver. The reports suggested that Cleveland is "going hard" with offers to Jackson, though the NFL Network report insinuated that the Redskins are the only team actually in negotiations, so Cleveland's interest could be -- for now -- one-way.
The other team that is reportedly interested is the San Francisco 49ers. They were linked to Jackson back before he was released, but since he's been cut, there'd been no word until now. The 49ers don't have a ton of cap space to work with, but there is money there. It's just a bit complicated due to an upcoming extension for quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Either way, the reports suggest the 49ers have a "real but guarded" interest.
See More:
More in: Washington signs DeSean Jackson
