DeSean Jackson could be a coveted player in free agency, but the receiver’s first preference is to stay in Washington with the Redskins.
“I do want to still be here,” Jackson told the team’s official website. “My family and my house, I have everything here and I don’t want to be in a transaction and move. First things first, I do want to be here and hopefully we can make it work. But once again this is a business so things happen.”
Jackson, 30, caught 56 passes for 1,005 yards and four touchdowns for the Redskins in 2016. He averaged 17.9 yards per reception, with four games over 100 yards receiving.
With his elite deep speed still intact, Jackson says he feels young and ready to attack his next challenge—be it in Washington or elsewhere.
“I still feel like I’m 26 and I can still run with those young dudes,” Jackson said. “I’m really at that point now where free agency is a big year for me in my career and where I am. …But wherever it takes me, I still feel like I’m going to put in the work, run fast and do that acrobatic things I’ve been doing throughout my career.”
Over three seasons in Washington, Jackson has caught 142 passes for 2,702 yards and 14 touchdowns. He ranks first in the NFL in yards per reception over the last three years at 19.0 (minimum 50 receptions), proof of his unique ability to create big plays down the field. The Redskins would sorely miss his ability to get deep if he departed this offseason.
Jackson may want to return to Washington, but he’s still likely to test the open market. He may find the money is right elsewhere, and money always talks in free agency.
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