Hall: Jackson makes Redskins better

DeAngelo Hall thinks the Washington Redskins would welcome DeSean Jackson, claiming that he would even be willing to take the former Philadelphia Eagles receiver under his wing.

Hall commented on Jackson, who was released Friday by the Eagles, during an appearance Saturday at a charity basketball game. Jackson will visit with the Redskins on Monday, a league source confirmed to ESPN.

"If we could add a piece like that ... he's a threat whenever the ball is in [his] hands," Hall told CSNWashington.com.

The Eagles decided to cut ties with Jackson, one of the most electrifying players in club history, amid a report by NJ.com that the receiver has ties to Los Angeles gang members. The Eagles also independently uncovered information about Jackson's off-field connections and activities, a source told ESPN.

But Hall thinks that the 27-year-old Jackson, who has garnered interest from multiple teams, would be a good fit in the Redskins' veteran-laden locker room.

"I feel like our locker room has a good group of young guys, a good group of old guys, man," Hall told CSNWashington.com. "Some of the things [Jackson] has been going through lately, that's life. That's life.

"We've all been through something, so ... if he's able to come here, man, I'm going to take him under my wing and just try to put him on the right path."

Jackson and Hall went head-to-head on national television in last season's "Monday Night Football" opener on ESPN, when Philadelphia beat Washington in Chip Kelly's NFL coaching debut with the Eagles. Jackson appeared to make a gang-related gesture at Hall during the game, according to the NJ.com report.

But Hall said Saturday that the Redskins would benefit from adding Jackson, who set career highs in receptions (82) and yards (1,332) while also scoring nine touchdowns last season.

"It automatically makes the special teams better," Hall told CSNWashington.com. "He's a deep threat. You can't put eight in the box. Man, if we could pull that off ... I was a little disappointed early on in free agency, but if we could pull that off, hell, that would [make] my day, make my year."

A league source told ESPN that the Eagles decided to release Jackson for a number of reasons due mostly to "work ethic and attitude." The Eagles learned about Jackson's associations in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, and the NJ.com report raised the team's "level of concern," the source said.

Following his release, Jackson issued a statement that both thanked the Eagles for initially giving him a chance and denounced reports like the one by NJ.com.

"I would like to address the misleading and unfounded reports that my release has anything to do with any affiliation that has been speculated surrounding the company I keep off of the field," Jackson said in part of his statement. "I would like to make it very clear that I am not and never have been part of any gang. I am not a gang member, and to speculate and assume that I am involved in such activity off the field is reckless and irresponsible."

The Eagles released Jackson just two years after he signed a five-year contract extension. The three-time Pro Bowler was due to make $10.5 million in 2014 and was owed $30.5 million over the remainder of his contract, but none of that money was guaranteed.

ESPN.com Redskins reporter John Keim contributed to this report.