The Washington Redskins will sign receiver Paul Richardson once free agency begins to a deal worth up to $40 million, a source confirmed. Richardson has agreed to a five-year deal with a $10 million signing bonus and $20 million guaranteed.
Washington had targeted Richardson because of his speed on the outside. It was a top priority entering free agency as the Redskins sought to duplicate what they had with DeSean Jackson before he left for Tampa Bay last offseason. Richardson would start opposite Josh Doctson, with Jamison Crowder serving as the slot receiver.
The news was first reported by NFL Network.
Richardson hit free agency after the most productive of his four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He supplanted Tyler Lockett as Seattle's No. 2 receiver behind Doug Baldwin in 2017 and caught 44 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns -- all career highs by a wide margin.
Known for his speed and his ability to outleap defenders for passes, Richardson averaged 16 yards per reception in 2017, the highest figure among Seahawks with at least 10 catches.
Plagued by injuries during his first two seasons, Richardson -- who turns 26 on April 13 -- has mostly stayed healthy the past two years, missing one game in 2016 and none in 2017.
A second-round pick in 2014 out of Colorado, Richardson was buried on the depth chart as a rookie and then suffered a torn ACL in the playoffs, causing him to miss the first half of the 2015 season. He returned in Week 10, only to suffer a season-ending hamstring injury while hauling in a 40-yard reception in his first game back.
ESPN's Brady Henderson contributed to this report.
