The Redskins reached an agreement Friday morning to keep cornerback DeAngelo Hall, and 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's five interceptions for the season -- three with Oakland, two with Washington -- were three more than any other cornerback on the Redskins' roster. He has a model citizen during his short time in the nation's capital, avoiding the type of temperamental outbursts that prompted the Atlanta Falcons to trade him to Oakland in 2008.
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.
The Redskins made an even bigger splash later Friday, agreeing to terms on a seven-year deal worth approximately $100 million with free agent defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.
Haynesworth, one of the more highly coveted free agents on the market, led the Tennessee Titans with a career-high 8½ sacks last season. He also had 75 tackles, 22 quarterback pressures, seven tackles for a loss and forced a team-high four fumbles.
Coach Jim Zorn has said the team will be active in free agency this year, a change from 2008, when Washington uncharacteristically made no major signings.
The payout of Hall's deal includes $30 million over the first three years.
ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.