The senior Redskin knew this was it. A last look around Redskins Park.
After 10 seasons, the offensive tackle knows it’s time to go. Not that it’s his choice. Jansen would stay if he could. But a big salary cap number and losing his job briefly under coach Jim Zorn spells it out. It’s time.
It happens to everyone. Ten years for the second-round pick s a good run. There were a couple of nasty injuries that are now taking their toll. Jansen can play a couple more years so he’ll look around for a job on a run-oriented team. Probably be on someone else’s bench for a lot less money.
“You don’t know how many years you have whether it’s here or somewhere else,” he said. “I’m no spring chicken, but I’ve still got some good years in me whether it’s here or somewhere else. I would say I’ve had a great opportunity to play here. and if the opportunity presented itself to be here I’ve love playing here and would continue to do so.”
The cap guru I consult says that there would be a net cap hit of about $6 million to release Jansen. Unless something changes in regards to the CBA, there is no post-June 1 designation so they would have to eat the whole thing in ’09.
That might be the smart thing to do in the long term, but with the Skins pressed up against the cap are they going to take that big a hit and limit their ability to pursue free agents? Jansen’s salary is “only” $1.3 million for ’09; the damage is done as far as the foolishly-paid guaranteed money goes. You can justify $1.3 million for a backup. It might be better to wait until 2010 when there may be no cap or at least the hit will be smaller by a couple of million.
Sad to see because Jon has always been a 1st class guy!
Then again, leaving now gives him time to some what heal and spend time with his beautiful family and dogs.