Why DeSean Jackson's $24 Million Contract Is A Steal For The Redskins

After getting abruptly cut by the Eagles, DeSean Jackson has signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the Washington Redskins.

According to widespread reports, he'll get $16 million guaranteed.

That's a relatively small figure.

When you compare it to some of the contracts handed out to wide receivers in recent years, you see that the Redskins got a No. 1 wide receiver for No. 2 wide receiver money here.

Washington basically signed Jackson to a shorter version of the contract the Jets gave Eric Decker in March.

Decker's deal is for $15 million guaranteed ($36.25 million total) over five years. While he had similar 2013 statistics to Jackson, he did it with a two big caveats - he had Peyton Manning throwing to him and he was playing against single coverage all year.

The contract Golden Tate got from Detroit is also in Jackson's range at $13.25 million guaranteed ($31.5 million total) over five years.

Tate and Decker are very good No. 2 wide receivers. Jackson is a proven No. 1 wide receiver in a top-five offense.

The Redskins got him cheap.

No. 1 wide receivers who have comparable stats to Jackson have commanded some monster contracts in free agency in recent years. Mike Wallace got $30 million guaranteed ($65 million total) from Miami in 2013. Vincent Jackson got $26 million guaranteed ($55 million total) from Tampa in 2012. DeSean Jackson's numbers say that he's in this class of wide receivers.

There's a reason why Washington got Jackson so cheap. Chip Kelly reportedly wanted to get rid of Jackson because of off-the-field issues, even before the gang allegations came out.

But at the end of the day Jackson has zero criminal history, and if he puts up the numbers he has put up his entire career, this is a brilliant signing for Washington.