Leonard Hankerson, a wide receiver who spent his first four seasons with the Washington Redskins, has signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons.
Hankerson posted a photo to his Instagram account Wednesday afternoon of himself wearing a Falcons hat and signing a contract in what appears to be a conference room at the Falcons’ facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia. He also wrote on his Twitter account that he was “blessed and thankful” to sign the new deal.
“I definitely would like to thank Redskins and Dan [Snyder, the team owner] for everything,” Hankerson wrote on Twitter. “It’s been a pleasure, I’ve grown and learned a lot there.”
Hankerson, who confirmed the signing through a text message, signed a one-year contract worth $1 million. He wrote in a text message on Tuesday, shortly after the start of the free agent signing period, that he was in Atlanta to meet with team representatives in search of a new deal.
A fresh start could be a boon for Hankerson, who played in only one game for the Redskins this past season. He tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee in November 2013, then missed the first nine games of the 2014 season as he continued to recover.
His only appearance was in the Redskins’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 16, when he played 21 snaps but did not catch a pass. He was inactive for five of the final six games of the season, dressing but sitting out a loss to the St. Louis Rams.
Drafted in the third round out of Miami in 2011, the 6-foot-2, 211-pound Hankerson has struggled to stay healthy during his career. He tore the labrum in his right hip during his rookie season, missing the final seven games, and didn’t undergo surgery until the following February — though managed to play in all 16 games in 2012, starting five.
That was his most constructive season, as Hankerson set career highs with 38 catches for 543 yards and three touchdowns as the Redskins sailed to a 10-6 record and the NFC East title.
In Atlanta, he’ll be reunited with a host of former Redskins coaches — including offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who spent the 2014 season in that capacity with the Cleveland Browns, as well as assistant coaches Matt LaFleur and Mike McDaniel.
Hankerson is the second former Redskins player to agree to a contract with a new team after running back Roy Helu reportedly accepted an offer from the Oakland Raiders late Tuesday night.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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