KIRKLAND – In the end, Darrell Jackson couldn’t see himself playing anywhere but Seattle.
After turning down a slightly better offer with the Seattle Seahawks on the eve of free agency, Jackson re-signed with the team less than a week later. On Tuesday, the 25-year-old wide receiver signed a six-year contract worth $25 million, including an $8 million signing bonus.
“There were great opportunities somewhere else,” Jackson said. “But I think this organization is on the rise, and I want to be a part of that.”
One of Jackson’s agents, Kendall Almerico, said that Jackson got a better offer from an undisclosed team, but that the receiver opted to return to Seattle because of his comfort level with the Seahawks.
That comfort level works both ways, as the Seahawks were willing to give Jackson a large bonus because of his accomplishments during the first four seasons of his career. Jackson has caught a team-high 253 passes since coming into the league in 2000 and led the Seahawks with 68 receptions last year.
“The strength of this football team right now is our offense,” general manager Bob Ferguson said. “It’s been my experience in the 11 years of free agency that the most important guys are your own guys. To keep that core group together is important, and Darrell’s one of the core guys.”
Jackson was considered by many to be the top free agent receiver available, but he canceled trips scheduled for later this week after talks with the Seahawks heated up over the weekend. With team president Bob Whitsitt leading the negotiations, the Seahawks added their second high-profile free agent in less than a week. Defensive end Grant Wistrom signed a six-year, $33 million contract last Thursday.
While the Seahawks were in the market for a veteran defensive end, their No. 1 goal in free agency was to re-sign Jackson. Whitsitt had talks with Jackson’s agents a week ago but failed to get a long-term deal done before the March 3 start of free agency.
Jackson went on at least one visit, to Detroit, before the Seahawks made him an offer enticing enough to keep him around. Jackson was the only starter on Seattle’s offense that was an unrestricted free agent.
“What really is the most exciting part is that now our offense is together,” Ferguson said. “We’ve got some more things we’re going to add, but now we’ve got Darrell where we need him, and that’s here in Seattle.”
Jackson has been the Seahawks’ go-to receiver for most of his NFL career. He bounced back from a three-game span in which he dropped eight passes last season to close out strong.
“I just kept playing ball,” Jackson said. “The support of my teammates and my coaching staff made it a little bit easier. I never lost confidence. It’s just something that I had to go through for my career.”
More than Jackson’s struggles, the Seahawks remember how he closed out the 2003 season with 30 receptions over the final six weeks, including five touchdowns. That kind of production was a key in Seattle making its first playoff appearance since 1999.
“Now we think we have all the pieces and everybody’s jelling,” Jackson said. “With that playoff loss last year, we think there are big things to come.”
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