DETROIT — Now that offensive tackle Jon Jansen has agreed to a one-year deal with the Lions, there are two main questions: How much does he have left? And how might he fit?

Jansen, who played at Clawson High and Michigan, seems determined to prove he can still play at a high level. It says something that he declined an offer to retire as a Redskin.
“It’s going to be hard not being a Redskin anymore because I’ve done that longer than I’ve done anything in my life,” said Jansen, a popular player in Washington since he was drafted in the second round in 1999. “But on the other hand, I’m excited for a new beginning.”
Jansen was always a tough, durable player. He set a U-M record with 50 straight starts, then started every game his first five years in the NFL.
But he missed the 2004 season with a torn Achilles, and he battled with injuries the next four years, too — broken thumbs, torn calf, broken leg and dislocated ankle, sprained knee.
He lost the starting right tackle job last year. Though he ended the season as a starter, the Redskins still had other plans. Having tried him at guard briefly last year, they tried him at center in minicamp earlier this month.
Redskins coach Jim Zorn told the Washington Times that Jansen remained a solid run-blocker but struggled in pass protection.
“Throughout the off-season, the minicamp and the first (organized team activities), I wanted to solidify the position, and there just wasn’t any change in Jon,” Zorn told the Times. “You don’t throw on every down, but you have to be able to pass-block. It wasn’t easy for me to say that to Jon, and I know it wasn’t easy to hear.”
Ideally, Jansen will push Gosder Cherilus, last year’s first-round pick, for the starting job at right tackle. Cherilus improved as last season went on and has a lot of potential, but he isn’t a polished product. Competition can’t hurt.
Jansen might just give the Lions an upgrade over George Foster in the veteran depth department.
But there are other offensive tackles in the mix, and the Lions haven’t made a strong commitment to Jansen — reportedly signing him to only the veteran minimum, $845,000.
Jansen, excited to be coming home, said Friday he didn’t know everything about the Lions’ tackle situation and hadn’t talked to the coaches about his role yet.
“I want to come in and compete as hard as I can,” Jansen said. “If I end up getting some playing time, that’s great. If I can support the offensive line in whatever role, that’s great. But again, I’m a competitor. I want to come in and compete as hard as I can.”