Jansen Released!

[SmootSmack]

Zorn Explains


Zorn Discusses Jansen Decision

Redskins Coach Jim Zorn said the release of veteran tackle Jon Jansen was difficult, because no coach wants to tell a 10-year veteran that he is done with the only franchise for which he has played. But he said the evaluation by the coaching staff - primarily Zorn, offensive coordinator Sherman Smith and offensive line coach Joe Bugel - made it a relatively easy football decision.

"I stated, right when the offseason came about, that the [right tackle] position was going to be open," Zorn said this afternoon by phone. "We're going to see who is battling for it.

"Jon, during March, he said he was ready to fight. I think he even said publicly that he was ready to be the player he is. He was going to come back and show that he can be the kind of player he is, he felt he was. I think when he came back in mini-camp, in good shape, in OTAs, in great shape, fighting hard.

"But to me, in evaluating the situation with Joe, with Sherman, myself, just sitting down and talking about and watching, I didn't see a difference [from last season]. I'm looking for differences. 'Okay, this is different, and that's different.' I didn't necessarily see that."

Given that, Zorn said, the coaches tried to envision where Jansen - who began last year as a backup, rose to the starting job, lost it again and then regained it at the end of the season - might fit in going forward.

"What we try to do is look at all the offensive linemen," Zorn said. "You not only grade them, but you rank them. You go back and forth. What's the future look like here? The future looks more like it's the battle of Stephon Heyer, Mike Williams and Jeremy Bridges."

Thus, they tried Jansen at center and guard, where he would have served as a backup.

"I didn't feel comfortable with how I perceived him backing up all those positions," Zorn said. "I was looking for the younger guys to take a lot of snaps to improve them instead of keeping Jon in a new position for him."

Once the coaches came to a consensus, Zorn said he took his recommendation to owner Daniel Snyder. "How do you release a guy like this?" Zorn said. "And Mr. Snyder said, 'Let's do it as right as we can.' The right way to do it is talk to him face to face."

With that, Snyder sent his plane to pick up Jansen, who makes his offseason home in Michigan. Zorn and Jansen met this morning.

"Was that hard?" Zorn said. "Yep. No doubt. He's a man, and it was one person's opinion about what his future was going to be with this organization. Absolutely he was disappointed."
Stephon Heyer, 25, 6-foot-6, 330 pounds, entering third season:

"Heyer has really improved himself," Zorn said. "He hasn't missed anything in our offseason program. He's trying to change his body style and the way he moves. I have seen some improvement. He's got a ways to go. That's why I wouldn't clearly name him the starter. He's working on his technique, his strength, his suddenness. Obviously, there's a lot to work on, but he's on his way."

Mike Williams, 29, 6-6, 384 pounds (Zorn said), entering sixth season (with two years off):

"Mike Williams has got tremendous potential right now," Zorn said, "and that's what it is because he hasn't played in two years. But when I watch him move, and I watch him move his feet, I mean, he can really move a lot of weight.

"He's down to 384 today. How comfortable can you be with a guy who's 384? But he's coming down. And that's a sign that he's making himself into a better football player. He's allowing himself to give himself a chance. My biggest concern is: Can he function at a high level at the weight he is for 70 plays? You can't just have it for 10 plays. You got to have it for 70."

Jeremy Bridges, 29, 6-4, 326 pounds, entering seventh season:

"I don't know much about Jeremy Bridges yet, but I watch him, and I see another athlete that can really change direction. I think he's got a toughness about him that we're certainly looking for with the Redskins."