The Washington Redskins gave Jon Jansen an opportunity to retire with the burgundy and gold in the spring, and he told them he wasn’t done playing.

Now, he’ll get a chance to show there is some football left in his tank at a new position. Jansen is expected to start at left guard Sunday for the Detroit Lions in their game against St. Louis at Ford Field.

It will be the 125th start in Jansen’s career and his first at left guard.

“It's a great opportunity for me to make a statement and take hold of a position that I think I can,’’ Jansen said. “I'm gonna go out there and give it everything I got. And I couldn't be more excited. I've been excited for two weeks since I found out I'd get a shot at it.”

The Lions had been letting Daniel Loper and Manny Ramirez battle it out at the position that’s been a black hole for them. According to John Niyo of the Detroit News, Jansen will be the 15th starter at left guard since left tackle Jeff Backus’ streak of 134 consecutive starts began. That’s a change every nine games.

“I'll never consider myself a backup, and I think guys that do are real close to retiring,’’ Jansen, 33, said. “And I'm not at that point yet.”

We’ll see how Jansen does. It’s not a simple transition for a lifetime tackle—Jansen manned right tackle for nearly a decade for the Redskins—to move inside. Guards have to play with more leverage and the action is much more sudden.

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