Head coach Mike Shanahan has confirmed that defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins would be sidelined for the season after suffering a knee ligament injury in Thursday's preseason game in Baltimore.

Jenkins suffered the injury in the first quarter of the Redskins' 34-31 preseason loss to the Ravens. He had to be helped off the field.

"It's tough," Shanahan said of Jenkins. "You have a hard time staying focused on the game after seeing something like that."

Even though Jenkins was a rookie second-round draft pick, he was seeing significant time with the first-team defense and was making an impact. He was one of the standouts of training camp and coaches, teammates and media alike raved at his ability to shed blockers and disrupt plays.

"He's everything you look for in a person and a football player," Shanahan said. "It always hurts to lose a great player."

In a short amount of time, Jenkins had made a strong impression on teammates as well.

"He's such an enthusiastic guy out there," Carriker said. "He just loves football. You can see it."

Now Jenkins faces a long rehab. He is scheduled for surgery to repair the knee.

Asked about the Redskins' options for replacing Jenkins, Shanahan said: "We have some depth, but you cannot replace a player like that."

With Jenkins heading for injured reserve, defensive linemen Doug Worthington and Darrion Scott are among candidates competing for a roster spot at defensive end.