Heyer will Start against Giants

[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."