Receiver D.J. Hackett, who scored the touchdown for the Seattle Seahawks that knocked the Washington Redskins out of the playoffs in January, will become the first free agent to visit Redskin Park this offseason tomorrow night.
The 26-year-old has never amassed more than 45 catches, 610 yards or four touchdowns in a season and has been criticized for not practicing hard enough, summoning unhappy memories of Redskins bust Brandon Lloyd.
However, new coach Jim Zorn knows Hackett well from their four years together with the Seahawks. And at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, Hackett has the size the Redskins have been seeking to complement their vertically challenged holdovers.
Although he is rated by some scouts as the top receiver on the market after Randy Moss re-signed with New England and Bernard Berrian jumped to Minnesota, Hackett’s visit with Washington also will be his first as a free agent.
Hackett’s agent, Kevin Robinson, blamed the relative lack of interest in his client on the fact he missed 10 games with a pair of sprained ankles last season. However, Hackett had an impressive 30 catches for 377 yards and four touchdowns in the five games he played after returning from the first injury and added eight catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in Seattle’s two playoff games.
“D.J.’s looking to play for a playoff team with a good quarterback,” Robinson said. “He has a great deal of respect for Coach Zorn … and of course he knows the offense.”
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