The picture serves as a daily reminder, one that Jon Jansen wants — even if it leaves teammates stomachs a bit wobbly. Jansen’s leg is facing one way; his foot is pointed the other way. And his future, at that time, was pointing in several directions.

Jansen doesn’t want to relive last season, when he broke his ankle in the season opener and was out for the year. But the Redskins right tackle doesn’t want to forget the feeling. So he hung the picture of him on the field after the injury in his locker.

“People come by and say how gross that is,” Jansen said. “[But] it made me realize how precious every day is and I’m living my dream.”

His dream turned into a nightmare last season. Again. He missed 2004 with an Achilles injury. After his latest setback, his future appeared mildly uncertain. There’s a reality: he’s 32 and has been hurt, or played hurt, more often than not the past five years.

This story continues below
Advertisement

Some on the previous staff weren’t as high on him, but line coach Joe Bugel is — and it’s his group.

“I knew he would keep the line intact,” Jansen said. “I knew I wasn’t ready to be done with football. I want to prove I’m as good as when I was 24 so all those people saying he’s getting old and doing this or that ... Part of this business for players is proving everyone wrong; that’s what I’m going to do.”

And part of that hunger stems from missing last season. Actually, most of it does. He wasn’t in better shape physically entering camp, but mentally he was.

“It was so frustrating last year that I couldn’t stop thinking about it from then until now,” Jansen said,  “what I was going to do when I got back.”

Jansen, entering his 10th season in Washington, said his ankle hasn’t bothered him in camp. Nor has he struggled to get started in camp, as he had the past couple seasons.

“I’m playing as good as I’ve ever played,” Jansen said.

That statement draws amens from teammates and coaches:

“This is the best camp I’ve seen him have in my four years with him,” Redskins center Casey Rabach said. “There was never a thought in my mind or a lot of guys minds that he wouldn’t be back. There was a lot of talk about how it could be a career-ender, but he worked his [tail off] to get back to where he is.”

“I’m totally amazed at Jon,” Bugel said. “In the five years I’ve been here, this is the best camp he’s had by far. He’s so far ahead right now it’s unbelievable. I’m amazed.”