Jan Jansen Demoted To 2nd String?

Jim Zorn has demoted the long-time anchor of the Redskins offensive line, Jon Jansen, and promoted Stephen Heyer to starter at RT.

The player nicknamed Rock, the team's longest continuous serving veteran who has unquestionably owned the right tackle spot when healthy since 1999, was adjusting to an unexpected demotion. Days before his first regular season game as a head coach, Jim Zorn announced that second-year player Stephon Heyer now has Jansen's starting job.

At 32 years old, Jansen will now carry the dreaded title of "utility backup" -- and an expensive one at that. The player who signed a five-year, $23 million contract extension last year now has to be ready to fill in at tackle or guard, even though he had never gone through some much as a drill at guard until Sunday.

The article goes on to mention how tough it can be for a demoted player to adjust, especially when being around teammates. Zorn mentioned how he had felt when he was demoted as Seahawks starting QB. But apparently that experience didn't develop his ability to explain it well to Jansen.

"There were some reasons thrown around. Nothing that I felt was reason enough," Jansen said. "But they're the coaches, I'm the player, and we'll go out there and do what we're supposed to do."

I don't think anything Zorn could have said would have been "reason enough" for Jansen. For an athlete, especially one who has been good for so long, it is difficult to accept.