Ashburn, VA (My Sportsbook) - Restricted free agent Chad Morton has been awarded to the Redskins after an arbitrator ruled Monday that the New York Jets did not properly match the offer sheet the return specialist signed with Washington.

Morton signed a five-year, $8 million offer from the Redskins in early March and the Jets attempted to match it, but a key issue in the New York contract was not met.

The Jets did not include a voidability provision that Washington offered, according to arbitrator Richard I. Bloch. The Redskins' contract featured a void of the five-year deal after three years if certain benchmarks are met.

"By forwarding a copy of its proposed player contract, sans the voidability option, the (Jets) manifested its intention not to be bound by that very meaningful element of the offer sheet," Bloch said. "However willing the (Jets) may have been to subsequently abide by the voidability clause if so required, the unavoidable conclusion is that, at that critical juncture of the carefully documented contract formation stage, there was no match."

Morton will join the Redskins for their off-season conditioning program in the next few days.

The Jets will receive a fifth-round pick in the 2003 draft as compensation.

Morton averaged 26 yards per kickoff return last season, second-best in the AFC. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns -- both in the season-opener against Buffalo, including the game-winner to start overtime.

The three-year veteran has accumulated 2,785 yards on 114 kickoff returns, averaging 24.4 yards. He spent the last two seasons with the Jets after playing his rookie campaign with New Orleans.