Albert Haynesworth hit the free-agent jackpot Friday morning by reaching agreement on a seven-year, $100 million deal with the Washington Redskins that could end up maxing out at $115 million based on his performance, according to sources.
The deal, which was reached early Friday morning, includes $41 million in guarantees. During the first 13 months of the contract, Haynesworth will earn approximately $32 million.
Haynesworth was bombarded with opportunities when free agency started a minute after midnight ET Friday. More teams contacted him than expected. During the first hour, Haynesworth had at least six teams willing to give him more than $30 million in guarantees.
He and his agent, Chad Speck, spent several hours reviewing the opportunities before making a decision. The final choices came down to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team that had the most cap room in free agency, and the Redskins, the team that was the most aggressive.
After one of the richest contracts in NFL history Daniel Snyder wasn’t even close to being done.
The Redskins then reached an agreement early Friday morning to keep cornerback DeAngelo Hall, which made him one of the highest paid cornerbacks in football.
Hall accepted a six-year $54 million deal that included $22.5 million in guarantees, giving the 25-year-old cornerback his second big payday in as many years. Hall was guaranteed around $24 million in a seven-year, $70 million contract he signed a year ago with Oakland, but he struggled to adjust to the Raiders’ man-to-man defense and was waived after eight games.
The Redskins picked him up less than a week later, and he provided a needed boost to a secondary beset by too many injuries and not enough big plays. Hall played in seven games and started the last four, eventually moving ahead of Carlos Rogers on the depth chart.
Hall therefore became a top offseason priority, with owner Dan Snyder wanting to work a deal before the cornerback had a chance to test the free agent market. The negotiations with Hall’s agents, Alvin Keels and Joel Segal, went to the last minute — and maybe a little beyond.
In years past Snyders spending hasn’t always resulted in great production on the field. With signing arguable two of the best Free Agents in the market at their positions in Haynesworth & Hall Snyder hopes this can put them over the top in one of the toughest divisions in football.
With potential in the upcoming years for the NFL to take the Baseball approach and have no salary cap Daniel Snyder said these signings may just be a start of things to come in the future.
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