Jon Jansen leaves void filled by Wide Receiver

by Skin Patrol on Sep 11, 2007 4:20 PM EDT in Injuries Comment 10 comments

The big news from Sunday's game is, of course, the Jansen injury. Per the Official Site the word is grim:

First, though, he has a long rehab--potentially 3-4 months--ahead of him.

Jansen suffered a fractured dislocation of his right ankle in Sunday's season opener against Miami at FedExField.

"Certainly it's a big loss for us," head coach Joe Gibbs said. "I felt like Jon made unusually good preparation this year. He hadn't missed a snap in practice. He hadn't missed a snap in games. It's just one of those things that can happen. We hate it."

And that's exactly what happened: Jansen is on IR per Redskins Insider. [Jansen is on IR per RI.] The question then turns to who replaces Jansen on the line, where we have a number of options, apparently, though Todd Wade wasn't one of them on Sunday. As of this moment he has zero starts this season. His fall from grace includes being the favorite at the vacated guard position, since filled by Pete Kendall, to being the backup at tackle (presumably) to not even being that on gameday, as Stephon Heyer saw action. And earlier today he was competing with Jason Fabini, of all people, per the Official Site:

Gibbs left open the possibility that undrafted rookie Stephon Heyer, who replaced Jansen on Sunday, could take over at right tackle for the remainder of the season.

The Redskins could also turn to veteran Jason Fabini at right tackle, but he has lined up mostly at guard in his brief time with the Redskins.

Then my colleague Ben demanded that Todd Wade get the start and, remarkably, and perhaps because the team has finally realized that this guy Folsom knows a thing or two, they relented:

Todd Wade will take over at right tackle for Jon Jansen.
Head coach Joe Gibbs made the announcement during the "Joe Gibbs Show" on Redskins Radio with Larry Michael and Bram Weinstein.

The team considered starting undrafted rookie Stephon Heyer after he impressed as a replacement for Jansen in Sunday's game against Miami.

"We've talked that over and we'll put Todd in and we'll let Stephon go back and forth between both tackles," Gibbs said.

The most compelling case I read for this came, again, from Ben:

3. Playing Stephon at that unfamiliar position forces the team to use a tight end in blocking more often than they would like. Chris Cooley was forced to hang back and block and only caught one pass and we saw more of Todd Yoder in the second half that we want. Forcing a tight end to block takes away a valuable target Jason Campbell needs to stay confident. If the Redskins can use the experience and size of Todd Wade to block the left side of the Eagles defensive line one on one then the tight ends are free to catch passes. Remember this is Al Saunders' offense where the tight end is a receiver and not Joe Gibbs' offense where the tight end is basically another lineman, with one eye and steel teeth (hello Don Warren).

Speaking to that point, I wasn't terribly impressed with Cooley's blocking on Sunday. Nor has he blown me away with his blocking prior, although I do think he's better than the player I saw barely slowing Dolphins down last weekend.

The good news is that we have this rookie undrafted free agent challenging for a starting position on this offensive line. Had you asked me many moons ago whether Stephon Heyer would get a shot at starting for this football team, I would've blown milk out my nose. Enormous credit is due him and to the coaching staff for finding a diamond in the rough that will hopefully assist the youthing process of our O-Line for many years to come. In the interim, go Todd Wade.

Question becomes what will be done with this extra roster spot now that Jansen is officially done for the year: Answered at Redskins Insider, who reported from start to finish the wooing, dating, and signing of receiver Reche Caldwell. (He lists at 6 feet tall, 210 pounds.) Jason had this to add on the signing:

You have to think this guy will be the No. 3 WR at the least fairly soon. I have thought for a long time this will be the last year in Washington for a certain other receiver, and the presence of this guy suddenly gives them a solid starting option beyond Moss and Randle El.

The unnamed co-conspirator here is Brandon Lloyd, who will do more through his own lackluster play on the field to earn Reche a 3rd receiver spot than Caldwell will. Or comparable contributions.

I'll have more thoughts on Caldwell after/if we see him on the field though encourage much speculation in the comments below. Later on today or this week you might find someone else gloating in this space about some kind of victory over yours truly in a pick'em contest whereas I failed miserably with the crashing and the burning and the yowza and they performed admirably enough to charge people for their picks. Whatever.

Fine, congratulations to Post Game Heroes. Whatever times two.

AOL Fanhouse, Redskins Sign Reche Caldwell; Promote Todd Wade to Starting RT

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Reche!

Excellent pick-up, assuming the contract's right...

by Burgundy and Gold on Sep 11, 2007 4:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Great

I love this move. We had an empty roster spot anyway, due to poor Jansen's injury.

Reche Caldwell was the leading WR on the Patriots last year! Until the Championship against the Colts where he had a bunch of dropped passes, he was a good, solid player for them. I think he can be the guy that David Patten was supposed to be-- just a solid (ex-Patriot) veteran who can make plays, be a possession receiver but isn't necessarily the flashiest dude on the field. Brandon Lloyd really blew his chance. I'm sure, as Skins insider said, that this means Caldwell is the #3 receiver. I don't know if that means that Lloyd gets kicked to 5th, because Thrash is back in there on most running downs and definitely Gibbs wants him in as much as possible as a #4. What a terrible FA pickup that was! At least we lost, what, 3 draft picks? Ugh.

Caldwell is 6'0, 210 and 28. I could see him fitting in with us for a little while, at least, and I would love to see him oust Lloyd. Players with one-year contracts have done well in recent past trying to prove themselves (Trotter in Philly, or even Daryl Gardner in DC a few years ago are good examples). Caldwell could be a very pleasant surprise, and I honestly wouldn't be that surprised to see him catching 30 or so passes this year if he can grasp the offense quickly.

by mmford10 on Sep 11, 2007 5:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Should Reche

win out the #3 position, this certainly would mean curtains for Lloyd. He was overpaid as a #3 receiver, he'll be a huge chunk of change as a #4 or, as you pointed out, more likely a #5. James Thrash has value on this roster.

Go Register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Sep 11, 2007 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

God I hate Brandon Lloyd

That is all.

by smutsboy on Sep 11, 2007 5:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good pick-up

He has some more size than our other receivers, hopefully he can be more of a possesion type receiver, something I think is hurting us severly.

by Sincethebeginning on Sep 11, 2007 7:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm disappointed in Lloyd

I had some hopes for him this season and was looking forward for him to finally wake up and realize the potential he has. I don't understand why guys say they're working hard and don't show up on the field. I think he worried too much about his physical shape rather than game day shape. Too bad. I did like him.

Talkin' Sports

by BlackOps on Sep 12, 2007 12:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Over at WCG the running joke

is next year we know who our secondary coach will be. This is kind of like Jansen. Shouldn't he just hang up the cleats before it gets any worse. Try to get that draft coverage job he seems to want so much?

by WCG on Sep 12, 2007 8:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not at all

he's 31. There's still a lot of football in him left. He's already stated that he wants to come back and has rehabbed effectively before in the past. I hope to see him starting next season.

Go Register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Sep 12, 2007 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree...

I also think he has plenty of football left. He wants to win so badly and will stick around until he can't play any more. He's awesome and a huge emotional leader of the offense.

I am so glad the Redskins drafted him and Chris Samuels and held on to them all these years. They have been invaluable for so many years.

by mmford10 on Sep 12, 2007 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good pickup

I like the Caldwell signing as well. It should give us good depth at WR, but more importantly, I hope it will push Lloyd to play harder cause I think he is a better WR than Caldwell when he tries(emphasis on tries). I also want to talk about your comment on Cooley and his blocking. Although he didn't have the best game and is far from the best blocking TE in the league. I don't think you give him enough credit. If you take a look at the game, and watch the Portis TD run, you will see a wonderful block thrown by Mr. Cooley on probably the best defensive player on the Dolphins! Thats right! He took Jason Taylor right out of the play all by himself. Without that block, Portis doesn't get past the line of scrimmage!

by Foreskin on Sep 12, 2007 4:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs