Heyer will Start against Giants

[53Fan]

I like Jansen and appreciate his play all these years. But for him to act all surprised about not starting confirms what I've been thinking. The offensive line seems to think they are greater than their play indicates. They seem to be caught up in the idea that they are great. They CAN be , but they have'nt been. It's time to live up to your name.

[Ijaeger]

yea, 12thman, after reading a few more of the players quotes it definitely appears as if jansen has lost his job as starter. it's just sad that he was injury free for so long even earning comments from samuels and others about being overlooked for the probowl and such, then to have the unfortunate and bizarre injuries (two broke thumbs, achilles??) coupled with age that look like they may have led to his demise. I like what i see in heyer and definitely trust buges along with the rest of the coaching staff to make the right decision...that's about all I can do.

[Darrell_Green_28]

Originally Posted by dall-assblows

tryon = darrell green

Blasphemy!! (is this grounds for banning?)

[Redskin Warrior]

Originally Posted by Darrell_Green_28

Blasphemy!! (is this grounds for banning?)

[skinsfan_nn]

Live interview with Jon & Heyer after todays practice on Redskin.com:

Posted at 4:11 PM ET, 08/31/2008
Jansen on Demotion; Kelly Doubtful

Jon Jansen, the longest serving player in the organization, was as standup as can be about losing his job to Stephon Heyer, speaking immediately after practice. Jansen, who practiced fully and said his sprained foot is no longer an issue, clearly does not agree with the decision, but showed restraint in his comments.

"I'm disappointed that I'm not going to be out there," Jansen said. "I still believe myself to be the right tackle here, but it's not going to be that way [Thursday], and that's what I have to deal with."

Jansen said he is "healthy and ready to go when needed." He said he was given some explanations but "nothing that I felt was reason enough." He hopes to practice hard and win back his spot - Jansen was getting a lot of work at guard today - but knows the decision rests with the coaches.

Jansen yielded several sacks in preseason games and had many difficult moments as he worked back from a gruesome broken leg that ended his 2007 season in Week 1. His teammates along the offensive line had expressed their confidence and support in him throughout the preseason, and Jansen believed he was making strides, too.

"It really doesn't matter how I grade myself," Jansen said. "They graded me not the starting right tackle, so that's how it is."

[skinsfan69]

Either way we're screwed at RT. All I remember was Heyer getting destroyed against Patrick Kerney in the playoff loss. He got owned. Is he any better this year? I don't see it. We'll find out Thurs. Jansen has just been a joke.

[skinsfan_nn]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

Either way we're screwed at RT. All I remember was Heyer getting destroyed against Patrick Kerney in the playoff loss. He got owned. Is he any better this year? I don't see it. We'll find out Thurs. Jansen has just been a joke.

I don't think I would take it that far. It's pretty clear Heyer has improved quite a bit since last season, so I wouldn't read to much into how a first year undrafted rookie played against Kerney. That was then and this is now. And from all accounts he has worked his ass off this off season.

I will give the guy a fair shake and take a wait and see approach, before jumping to any conclusion that we are screwed at RT. You just might be in for a surprise at how well he performs, but only time will tell.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by skinsfan_nn

I don't think I would take it that far. It's pretty clear Heyer has improved quite a bit since last season, so I wouldn't read to much into how a first year undrafted rookie played against Kerney. That was then and this is now. And from all accounts he has worked his ass off this off season.

I will give the guy a fair shake and take a wait and see approach, before jumping to any conclusion that we are screwed at RT. You just might be in for a surprise at how well he performs, but only time will tell.

I don't know. I hope he has improved. We'll see Thurs night.

[skinsfan_nn]

On a side note it appears that this demotion is likely to stick as Jansen is listed as backup Right Tackle on the depth chart.

Heyer Named Starter At Right Tackle

Now Heyer has secured a position in the 2008 starting lineup.

“I’m excited to play,” Heyer said. “I have an opportunity to go out and play a big game. It’s the season opener and a lot of people will be watching.”


Heyer had entered training camp as the primary backup to left tackle Chris Samuels. He moved over to play right tackle in the preseason finale against Jacksonville as Jansen sat out with a foot injury.

Heyer’s performance in that game solidified his spot as the starter.

“I was prepared for anything, because so many things have happened for me,” Heyer said. “I viewed it as, ‘If you just go in and play your game, then whatever happens, happens.’

“It’s the coach’s decision to do what they feel is necessary for the team. All you can do is sit there and take it.”

Jansen, the longest tenured Redskin having joined the team in 1999, admitted he was “disappointed” to be benched.

“I still believe myself to be the right tackle here,” he said. “But it’s not going to be that way on Thursday and that’s what I have to deal with.”

On the team’s depth chart, Jansen is now listed as the backup right tackle to Heyer.

Jansen said his foot injury this preseason “is not an issue." He participated fully in Sunday’s practice, even lining up at left guard for one drill.

Zorn said he empathized with Jansen’s feelings on the matter. Getting demoted is something that Zorn experienced late in his playing career with the Seattle Seahawks.

“It can be trying,” Zorn said. “Things change, and now Jon has to be able to live up to that and keep working hard. He has to know that it’s not over for him.

“This is the ultimate team sport. He has to continue to help and push and be a pro. He has seen a lot of guys come and go. He’s not gone. He has to be ready.”

[riggins44]

I think Heyer will do fine. He should be quicker than Jansen and the experience last year
will be invaluable. Jansen can extend his career by learning the guard positions.

[skinsfan_nn]

Originally Posted by riggins44

I think Heyer will do fine. He should be quicker than Jansen and the experience last year
will be invaluable. Jansen can extend his career by learning the guard positions.

There is a chance that is true.

However, I don't think Jansen will extend his career with the Redskins, I look for this to be his last year with the team.

[ChillWill]

Finally!!! This is no surprise. Jansen has been on the decline for 4 years. The film
does not lie. He's been getting destroyed for years. He's great in the locker room and a true warrior, but maybe he'll be better suited as a guard. I'm shocked it took this long to make this move. Heyer had really one bad game, against Kearney and who didn't last year. Todd Wade was better at RT than Jansen. It's not personal, just the truth. Let's move forward. He's in denial and a whole lot of Jansen supporters have been drinking the Kool-Aid.

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

......But for him to act all surprised about not starting confirms what I've been thinking. The offensive line seems to think they are greater than their play indicates. They seem to be caught up in the idea that they are great. They CAN be , but they have'nt been. It's time to live up to your name.

I think this applies to the entire team. Some of the players seem to act like making the Redskins squads means they have arrived. Not so. If our team sucks this years, the only that will have arrived is embarrasment.

[ChillWill]

Let this be a wake-up call to the rest of the under achieving players. It's not what you've done in the past, it's what have you done for me lately.

[DarkKnight]

Originally Posted by Sean"Big Hurt"Taylor

I dooubt it. Jansen is done. I have said in a previous post that we need to upgrade the right tackle position for the last couple of years. I mean Al Saunders could not get his scheme to really work without protection. I also believe that Samuels need to move to the right tackle position and we need to draft someone to play left tackle for us a la Walter Jones to protect Campbell's blind side. I honestly believe we need to get more athletic on the offensive line. Seattle's GM stated that he always wanted a bid, fast and agile group and we are definitely lacking that. I believe in next years draft we will focus on this offensive line as well as defensive line.

Good call, I agree with you! its time to move on, and some people here got a man crush on over and past their prime players........Samuels at RT and Jones at LT......be nice