During the Washington Redskins’ minicamp practice Tuesday afternoon, wide receiver DeSean Jackson streaked down the sideline during an 11-on-11 drill and hauled in a 60-yard heave from quarterback Kirk Cousins.
As Jackson jogged into the end zone, Cousins sprinted toward him, turning to point to reporters on the sideline, yelling “Celebrate! You like that!”
Though Jackson missed the majority of the team’s offseason workouts this spring, the Redskins said Jackson’s presence elevated the intensity and production in one of their final sessions before their pre-training camp break.
“He’s a difference-maker,” Cousins said. “We’ve told him that and he knows that, so when he’s here, our offense is able to function at its highest potential.”
After Jackson attended two of the three OTA sessions last week, Gruden said he expected the ninth-year wide receiver to attend this week’s mandatory practices. Tuesday, Jackson practiced with the first-team unit, hauling in multiple passes from Kirk Cousins as the duo worked to build on its chemistry from 2015.
In that campaign, Jackson recorded 30 catches for 528 yards – both career-low totals – and four touchdowns. After skipping the majority of the team’s offseason program, Jackson missed most of last year’s training camp with a shoulder injury and suffered a hamstring injury in the first quarter of the season opener that forced him to sit out the next six games, too.
Despite the wide receiver’s dip in production, Redskins cornerback Josh Norman, who signed with the Redskins during the offseason, relishes the opportunity to face Jackson in practice. The first-team All-Pro for the Carolina Panthers last year described Jackson as “plucky” and “agile.”
“A top receiver, any profession, (no matter) what the team is, is going to help you get better because it works your … quick-twitch muscles,” Norman said. “You just want to be on key and target wherever he goes.”
Jackson left the field with teammates at the end of the session, declining to interview with the trail of reporters and cameras behind him, but Gruden commented on the spark his top wide receiver added to the team’s session.
“He’s a big-time problem for defenses,” Gruden said. “He’s a big-time weapon for an offense, so any time he’s out on the field, he’s very helpful to our team.”
