WASHINGTON — Unexpectedly released last week, guard Derrick Dockery was eager to hear from his first NFL team, the Washington Redskins. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall could have been among the most highly pursued free agents, but he hoped Washington would persuade him not to test the market.

The Redskins provided what each wanted, bringing back Dockery to the organization after he spent the last two seasons with Buffalo and re-signing Hall, who joined the team in November and impressed coaches in his brief audition. Dockery and Hall, who spoke with reporters Tuesday in the auditorium at Redskins Park in Ashburn, Va., said they were pleased to be back in familiar surroundings.

"Being released was, I guess you could say, a humbling experience," said Dockery, a former Redskins draft pick and four-year starter at left guard who makes his year-round home near the complex. "That was my first time not being wanted as a player, going up from high school to college, even in the National Football League. But you live and you learn. You learn from the mistakes that you've made, and hopefully, you can grow from your experiences. I'm just glad to be back, man."

Said Hall: "These guys just embraced me full tilt when I came in, from the coaching staff on down, and I just had fun. I had fun."

Late last Friday, Dockery, whom the Redskins selected in the third round (81st overall) of the 2003 draft, agreed to a five-year contract worth almost $27 million, including $8.5 million guaranteed, a league source said. He is scheduled to be paid $11.5 million in the first two years of the deal. Dockery chose to return to Washington over joining Detroit, which made a bigger overall offer to the durable six-year veteran, who has never missed a game in his NFL career.

About 22 hours before completing Dockery's deal, the Redskins reached an agreement with Hall shortly before he could have considered offers from other teams. Hall got a six-year contract that could be worth as much as $55 million. He is scheduled to receive about $23 million guaranteed — with $30 million to be paid out during the first three years of the package — according to NFL sources. Dockery and Hall have signed their contracts, the Redskins said.

Hall signed with the Redskins in November after Oakland released him and he cleared waivers, just months after the Raiders traded second- and fifth-round draft picks to Atlanta for him. The Raiders signed Hall to a seven-year, $70 million contract that was voided when he cleared waivers.

A Chesapeake, Va., native and former all-American at Virginia Tech, Hall was drafted eighth overall by Atlanta in 2004. He made the Pro Bowl in 2005 and 2006, but alienated some teammates and coaches with his outspoken nature while with the Falcons. Oakland waived Hall after only half a season. But the Redskins liked what they saw in Hall, who had two interceptions in seven games with them and five overall in 2008.

The gathering for Dockery, 28, and Hall, 25, capped a whirlwind five-day period for the organization in which owner Daniel Snyder and Vinny Cerrato, Washington's executive vice president of football operations, accomplished many of their top offseason goals. Snyder and Cerrato retained Hall, lured former Tennessee Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to Washington by making him the game's highest-paid defensive player and brought back Dockery, after the Bills released him in a cap-savings move, in an attempt to bolster the offensive line.

Washington also released Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Taylor on Monday after he declined to participate in most of the team's offseason conditioning program, scheduled to begin March 16.