The Carpet Bagger

Hoping for more than a cup of coffee at this stop

The third big 2009 free agency score by the Redskins, to go with defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and left guard Derrick Dockery, is cornerback DeAngelo Hall who signed a six year 55 million dollar contract, DeAngelo is at least a moderately interesting case because he was already a Redskin. Sort of.

DeAngelo attended Virginia Tech, a fact which I do not hold against DeAngelo, and was a three year starter and an outstanding player. He played cornerback, returned kicks and even played some receiver. His junior year in 2003 against Syracuse DeAngelo returned two punts for a total of 118 yards and two touchdowns in a 51-7 rout by the Hokies on his way to All-America honors and a nomination for the Jim Thorpe award given to the nation's best college defensive back.

DeAngelo was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the eighth pick of the 2004 NFL draft, he suffered a hip fracture in the preseason and missed six games to start his rookie year. DeAngelo helped get the Falcons to the NFC Championship that year, a game I happened to attend in Philadelphia with lifetime Eagles fan, season ticket holder and Curly R reader/lurker Wilbert Montgomery. It was the coldest day of my life.

It really started to jell for DeAngelo his second year in 2005, although the Falcons missed the playoffs DeAngelo finished with 65 tackles, ten passes defensed and six interceptions and was named to his first Pro Bowl. Befitting he jersey number 21, former Falcon and current idiot Deion Sanders' number, DeAngelo was an outstanding performer in prime time, finishing with 15 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble in three Monday Night Football games, including calmly handling the Eagles' Terrell Owens in the season opener. There were hints that year that DeAngelo played his own game, in that Eagles game DeAngelo grabbed an opponent's facemask, tore off his helmet and threw it down, drawing a post game 5000 dollar fine. Later that season DeAngelo lost his Reebok endorsement deal when he took the field in Nike cleats.

Rolling right into 2006, DeAngelo maintained form and made his second straight Pro Bowl. He started all 16 games and finished with 58 tackles, 16 passes defensed and four interceptions and continued to associate himself with the top receivers in the league. In 2005 it was a well publicized and possibly contrived feud with Terrell Owens, in 2006 it was with Cincinnati's Chad Johnson. Later in the season DeAngelo drew the ire of the Detroit Lions when he slammed quarterback Jon Kitna in the head as Jon QB-slid to the turf, the incident caused Lions center Dominic Raiola to issue a vague threat to DeAngelo, who responded in typical brash fashion by giving out his home address and inviting Dominic to come and get some. And whatever rivalry DeAngelo and Terrell Owens enjoyed came to an ugly end when DeAngelo provoked Terrell Owens into spitting on him in the fifteenth game of that season, an action that earned Terrell a 35 thousand dollar fine.

Going into the 2007 season Falcons coach Jim Mora was fired and replaced by former University of Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino, Bobby and DeAngelo never seemed to get along and the backdrop of Michael Vick's dogfighting case did not help team relations. DeAngelo in his fourth year had become known as a vocal, brash guy, a trash talker and as everyone knows brass balls only go as far as performance on the field.

In week three with the Falcons reeling at 0-2 without Michael Vick, DeAngelo had been handling Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith, the Falcons' Alge Crumpler scored early in the third quarter to put Atlanta up 17-10. On the next play from scrimmage, Steve Smith got behind DeAngelo who had no choice but to pull Steve down for a 37 yard pass interference penalty. On the next play Steve was getting into DeAngelo's head as DeAngelo chest bumped Steve, drawing a fifteen yard unsportsmanlike contact penalty. Despite all the free yards two plays Jake Delhomme was getting sacked and it looked as though the Panthers were near the edge of field goal range. Lucky for Carolina, Steve Smith was still inside DeAngelo's head, he was called for a fifteen yard taunting penalty, two plays later and the Panthers tied the game. Three 15+ yard penalties on the same drive. The Falcons went on to lose 27-20, falling to 0-3.

But the story gets better. As the Panthers were kicking the extra point and the Falcons were getting ready to take the field on offense, DeAngelo got into it with head coach Bobby Petrino and had to be restrained by teammates on the sideline in what was described as a quote tirade unquote. Three days later the team fined DeAngelo 100 thousand dollars, the same week it was learned that Michael Vick had tested positive for marijuana while awaiting sentencing for his federal dogfighting conviction, DeAngelo was ultimately suspended for the first quarter of the Falcons next game, against the Texans.

In an interview that week with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a story that was published the day of the Texans game, DeAngelo was asked if he would be able to play for Bobby Petrino over the long term. From ESPN (op. cit.):

Hall was asked twice if he thought he could play for Petrino long term. He paused before responding: "Some things would have to change, obviously. Like you said, some guys are made for college. Some guys are made for the NFL. If he wants respect given to him, he must give respect back."

Respect for your rookie coach much DeAngelo?

By the next month rumors had surfaced that DeAngelo could be had from Atlanta in trade. DeAngelo complained to the media that Bobby Petrino was not as close to the Falcons players as former head coach Jim Mora. The next week DeAngelo attacked Falcons leadership for releasing eleven year veteran defensive tackle Grady Jackson, a move the team denied was part of a purge as the team cratered through the 2007 season. By the end of October DeAngelo had taken a vow of media silence (op. cit.), one that even his teammates snickered at, suspecting DeAngelo was far too full of himself to maintain.

Two months later in December 2007 after Michael Vick was sentenced to 27 months for running a dogfighting ring, DeAngelo ran onto the field in a game against the Saints carrying a poster that read Free Mike Vick, and wore eyeblack stickons emblazoned with MV7, a move that earned DeAngelo a ten thousand dollar fine. The next day rookie head coach Bobby Petrino resigned to go back to the college ranks, a move that did not assuage DeAngelo on his future with the team, he announced he was done with the Falcons, promising to demand a trade or hold out in 2008. Here is a YouTube of DeAngelo's interview with ESPN the day after his coach resigned, DeAngelo spared nothing in trashing Bobby Petrino.

As Atlanta put him on the trading block in February of 2008, DeAngelo said with everything that had happened with the Falcons in 2007 that he felt the team had stabbed him in the back, a curious bit of projection by the man that brought it all on himself. By the next month Atlanta and Oakland were in negotiations to trade DeAngelo to the Raiders, a week later the deal was done, DeAngelo was traded to Oakland for a second round pick in the 2008 draft then immediately signed a seven year 70 million dollar deal including 24 million dollars guaranteed.

But DeAngelo never jelled in Oakland's press-man coverage, preferring a la Fred Smoot to give up a cushion and make a play on the ball, after firing head coach Lane Kiffin Raiders owner Al Davis cut DeAngelo only eight games into the 2008 season. There was even a story that when the Falcons came to visit the Raiders in week nine that DeAngelo went into the tunnel at halftime to try and pick a fight with his former teammates.

After three days on the street the Redskins signed DeAngelo for a prorated one million dollar deal for the rest of the season. DeAngelo proceeded to pull down two interceptions, including one in his first game with Washington, against Dallas no less, after three games DeAngelo had cracked the starting lineup at the expense of Carlos Rogers.

Signing DeAngelo to a long term deal here in Washington accomplishes two goals: making DeAngelo even richer and giving him another bridge to burn. It also accomplishes goals for the team: giving them a Pro Bowl caliber cornerback, one that can go for the ball and hang on to it. Next season we get to see DeAngelo lined up opposite former first round pick Carlos Rogers, himself in a contract year and bitter the team has not awarded him a new deal.

The Redskins cornerback unit should remain strong in 2009 unless the shit hits the fan.



DeAngelo Hall: Getty Images from here.