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Hall Will Have To Face Issues In D.C.

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By IRA KAUFMAN

ikaufman@tampatrib.com

Published: November 9, 2008

TAMPA - Few areas of the country have proven more accommodating to comeback bids than the nation's capital.

Now, noted locker-room politician DeAngelo Hall is heading to D.C. as the newest member of the Redskins, eager to revamp his image.

And he thought covering Terrell Owens was a challenge.

When the eighth pick of the 2004 draft arrived in Atlanta as a flashy cornerback out of Virginia Tech, Hall boasted star quality, icy nerves and speed to burn.

The Falcons went 11-5 under rookie coach Jim Mora that first season, reaching the NFC Championship Game, and Hall made the Pro Bowl in 2005 and 2006, when he was named the "NFL's Fastest Man" in Honolulu.

Hall was so fast, he quickly lost his way.

And once the Falcons started losing, Hall started losing interest.

He became an indifferent tackler and a habitual gambler on the football field, more interested in padding his interception total than making sound decisions at the defense's most vulnerable position.

The Raiders traded for him because owner Al Davis is always intrigued by blinding speed, but Oakland dumped Hall after only eight games, despite paying him $8 million in bonuses and guaranteed money.

According to STATS, Inc., quarterbacks targeted Hall 66 times this season, completing 40 passes for 566 yards.

Does that sound like an $8 million cornerback to you?

Meanwhile, on the opposite side, Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha was barely tested.

As the losses mounted in Atlanta and Oakland, Hall's fundamentals deteriorated. At his best, he was never an exceptional technician, but 35 losses in 56 games weakened his resolve.

Along came the Redskins (6-3), who could end up battling the Bucs for one of the NFC's two wild-card spots.

Hall, who turns 25 later this month, now has eight games to prove he was merely a scapegoat for Oakland's miserable start.

He comes to Washington as a free agent with a clean slate, but he had better report to work with a willingness to get dirty.

The Redskins have a good thing going under first-year coach Jim Zorn, and Hall has a tendency to lose focus when adversity hits.

And at Hall's position, adversity is always lurking around the corner.

When times are good, Hall flies around the ball, showcasing his rare physical skills. When things go awry, Hall has a tendency to sulk and act like his contract contains a no-compete clause.

D.C. has certainly seen its share of frauds come and go, and pro football's fastest man faces a lot of issues in the next seven weeks.

This next sprint is for his NFL future.

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