Redskins head coach Jim Zorn made his first real bold move in his new team by demoting right tackle Jon Jansen in favor of Stephen Heyer.
It is really simple: Heyer has looked good in the preseason while Jansen hasn't. Still, Jansen doesn't see it that way:
"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 on [Thursday], and that's what I have to deal with."
Jansen was given some explanations for the change, but "nothing that I felt was reason enough," he said. Zorn said the decision to go with Heyer was very difficult, citing the ability to best protect the passer as a key factor.
Jansen is the longest tenured Redskin and has started in every game he's played since being drafted in 1999. Jansen never missed a start in his first five seasons but has missed all of 2004 and nearly all of the 2007 season.
Heyer was an undrafted rookie in 2007 who saw a lot of playing time after Jansen dislocated his ankle in Week 1. Heyer became a team favorite due to his work ethic and his attitude after being "thrown into the fire" last year.
And like Zorn said, Heyer has shown a much better ability to protect Campbell. With Campbell's habit of fumbling the ball once he gets hit ... it is a big deal if you can be the guy that can prevent him from getting nailed.
