Despite what reports suggested on Tuesday, Albert Haynesworth’s agent says that his client has no deal with the Washington Redskins.

“Albert is not allowed to have a deal with another team, and he doesn’t have a deal with another team,” Speck e-mailed Tuesday night. “We continue to keep the lines of communication open with Tennessee. The rumors suggesting that a deal is in place between Albert and the Washington Redskins are completely false.”

What is true is that the Redskins are one of a handful of teams that will have interest in Haynesworth. But for whoever signs him, it isn’t going to cheap. Haynesworth widely is expected to become the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history, with a deal that will defy today’s economic hardships and send tremors around the league. The deal could wind up including a signing bonus in the vicinity of $40 million dollars. Washington will have interest. But so will Detroit, Tampa Bay, Tennessee and others.

And the big question as free agency opens Friday will be what is Haynes-worth?

Don’t read too much into this. Haynesworth’s agent has to say that there’s no deal in place or else the Redskins could face tampering charges for talking to another team before the free agency period opens on Februarys 27. But agents talk to teams all the time before the start of free agency or else how do deals get worked out in the first hour that the period opens?

Where there’s smoke there’s fire and there’s a lot of smoke coming from Washington. I highly expect Haynesworth to be a Redskin by the end of the week.

According to a report by the Houston Chronicle, the Redskins will sign free agent defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth unless the Titans can pony up at the last second.

This time around he tells me that the Washington Redskins will break the bank to sign Albert Haynesworth. The Titans could come over the top of the Redskins deal as well, but my guess is that the Redskins will let Haynesworth get the best offer possible from the Titans and then “better deal” it.

My source tells me to look for a contract that could break $100 million with an average of $15 million to $16 million per. My guy is almost never wrong and Dan Snyder gets what he wants.

Peter King also said he wouldn’t be surprised if Synder made a play for Haynesworth in his latest edition of “Monday Morning Quarterback”, so this story is picking up steam.

The Redskins haven’t had a decent interior pass rush in some time and Haynesworth could solve those issues all on his own. As I wrote in my latest column, he could also become very unmotivated after cashing in and Washington seems to be the place were defensive tackles go to die. (Kind of like receivers in Chicago.)

We’ll see how this plays out when free agency officially kicks off this Friday.

The best free agent defensive tackle available this offseason is set to hit the open market after Albert Haynesworth and the Tennessee Titans were unable to negotiate a new contract over the past couple weeks.

After weeks of negotiations, after hours of discussions, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth has decided not to re-sign with Tennessee until he first gets to test the free-agent market, a source said Wednesday.

Thus, other teams will have the opportunity to bid for Haynesworth, who will be one of the most coveted free agents on the open market.

Haynesworth still could return to Tennessee, but it will not be anytime before free agency begins Friday, Feb. 27.

A host of teams are expected to bid on Haynesworth, who is hoping to become the highest paid defensive player in NFL history. Haynesworth’s deal could turn out to average about $12 million per year with guaranteed money north of $30 million.

It might be Tennessee that lands him. But other teams will get their chance.

Haynesworth is easily the best defensive tackle prospect on the market and will command big bucks for any team willing to shell out for his services. He can be a dominating inside presence and is coming off two highly productive seasons. But questions remain about his character (ask Andre Gurode) and whether or not his production will drop after he receives his big contract.

Still, similar question marks surrounded Shaun Rogers, but he proved to be a vital addition to the Browns’ defensive line after they acquired him from Detroit last offseason. Some team will pay big to have a disruptive player like Haynesworth on their defensive line.