Washington Redskins: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time

You can’t teach speed. You can only throw money at it.

The Redskins received an opportunity to purchase raw speed when DeSean Jackson became available as a free agent on March 28, 2014. The fiery field flipper had established a reputation with the rival Philadelphia Eagles, making the Pro Bowl three times.

Shortly after becoming a free agent, his reputation worked on its own, in the form of a three-year, $24 million contract from the Redskins.

Jackson would only stay with the Redskins for three seasons. Only in two of those seasons did he started more than nine games. But looking back on his tenure with the team, it feels like Jackson was in D.C. longer, simply because he was such an electric player.

Jackson broke the 1,000-yard mark in his two busiest seasons, despite never eclipsing 60 receptions. In 2014, he averaged 20.9 yards per catch. Then in 2016, he helped Kirk Cousins nearly reach 5,000 yards, amassing 1,005 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 56 catches.

Jackson had plenty of blunders in D.C., and he wasn’t nearly the kind of returning threat that he was with the Eagles. But Jackson brought one indispensable quality to the Redskins offense that they’ve tried, and failed, to replace ever since his departure: Speed. You can’t teach speed. And Jackson gave the Redskins speed worth paying for.