Thomas/Jansen article

[J. Spanky]

Unlike quarterbacks, running backs and receivers, numbers rarely tell the story for offensive linemen.

But consider these in the case of right guard Randy Thomas and right tackle Jon Jansen of the Washington Redskins: 32, 37, 30.

The first is their age. The second is the number of games in which Thomas and Jansen didn't line up next to each other in the past four seasons. The last is the number of games in which they did.

[over the mountain]

and . . . . . .

are you going to comment or opine about something from the article that you'd like to discuss here or are you just posting the article?

a simple "RANDY THOMAS IS ONE OF THE BEST B-B-Qers IN THE LEAGUE!!! OHHHH YEAHHH!! BELIEVE IT BABY!!!" would do just fine.

[MTK]

These guys are huge keys to this season. If both of them can stay on the field (along with the other starting OL of course) I really like our chances.

[Schneed10]

RT is one of the very best players on our team. Our running game misses him badly whenever he's out. I'm looking forward to having him back, big time. I'm sure Portis is too.

[GridIron26]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

These guys are huge keys to this season. If both of them can stay on the field (along with the other starting OL of course) I really like our chances.

I agree

[SouperMeister]

Jansen's injury last year was just freaky bad luck. Age has nothing to do with breaking your leg when a 250 lb linebacker flies into the back of your legs. That would have been a season ending injury for a 22 year old rookie in the same situation. We are due some better luck on the injury front after last year's carnage.

[Hog1]

Our O-line does not get enough credit (of the positive variety). AND, when the starters are....all.......starting, they're damn good. But..thst is the question. Can they stay healthy. COME ON BABY!

[Schneed10]

I didn't know Thomas actually partially tore that muscle again when he tried to come back on Week 15. Good thing that wasn't a much more serious tear or I'd be ever so pissed.

[skinsfan69]

I'm very worried about Jansen. In 06 he was getting pushed around quite a bit and he was healthy. Now he's two years older and coming off a serious injury where he missed a whole season. Heyer had better be ready.

[The Goat]

Yep, basically every Skins fan is praying these guys are healthy (along w/ the other o-lineman for the whole season). I'm not sure that we lose a lot if JJ goes down. He was slow as molasses in pre-season last year and if Heyer has any brains he spent the offseason busting his ass in the gym. But we lose a lot when RT is out of the game. He's the only one that plays w/ a mean streak, and he can pull with the best of them.

Does it sound like Rinehart could compete at RT? I haven't heard much since we drafted him.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by The Goat

Does it sound like Rinehart could compete at RT? I haven't heard much since we drafted him.

The scouting reports I read seemed to indicate that Rinehart may take a year or two to compete for a starting role. That would make sense, given that he is not used to facing quality opponents, let alone NFL Pro Bowl DTs and DEs. I haven't heard much of anything about him since we drafted him though.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

The scouting reports I read seemed to indicate that Rinehart may take a year or two to compete for a starting role. That would make sense, given that he is not used to facing quality opponents, let alone NFL Pro Bowl DTs and DEs. I haven't heard much of anything about him since we drafted him though.

Yeah that's probably to be expected. I think scouting reports also mentioned he would fit better inside at C/G in the NFL. As to him not facing quality opponents I have to agree but I don't know whether you watched video on him - dude mauled most guys he faced. In fact, it seemed like most d-lineman he faced ended up on the ground. So maybe he could have competed at division 1-A. Not entirely likely I know but maybe there was something else that kept him at the small school.

I know he wasn't a sexy pick for us but I'm just as excited to see this kid develop as Thomas, Davis, or Kelly.

[GMScud]

I'm not worried one bit about Randy if he can stay healthy. This is the guy who Gibbs called "the heart and soul of the Redskins" when he got hurt last year. And like Buges said, he's a "spring chicken." Repeated hamstring/groin/knee issues make a guy fall under the category of injury prone. A broken fibula b/c some guy rolled up on him or a tricep tear doesn't fit that category. He's due for a healthy, beast of a season. And I fully believe that's what we'll get.

Jansen on the other hand concerns me. And not because I question his durability. Aside from the freak injuries in '04 and '07, the guy has only missed one game since high school. That's right, high school. Never missed a start at Michigan. But I do think his talent is declining. If he does stay healthy, he's an average starting tackle in the NFL at this point, IMO.

[dmek25]

this is probably Thomas last season with the skins, if he gets injured again. we need our lineman to be able to play. and it really hurts the whole offensive scheme when one of them go down

[J. Spanky]

Originally Posted by dmek25

this is probably Thomas last season with the skins, if he gets injured again. we need our lineman to be able to play. and it really hurts the whole offensive scheme when one of them go down

thomas aint going anywhere until we have a viable replacement. at the moment we do not. chad rhinehart may become that but i think its more likely that he will succeed pete kendall. if i'm not mistaken, we gave kendall a 2 year contract and so this will be the last year. that's enough time for buges to turn rhinehart into a monster.

this is the last year of (giants' guard)chris snee's contract. maybe we make a play for him next offseason?