Cory's Corner: Can Jeff Janis be 'Janis!' again?

Jeff Janis is entering a contract year.

Remember when Janis was the toast of Green Bay? Everyone — including myself — was pleading to get the speedster on the field. He could outrun just about everyone on the field, but he has had a hard time consistently catching the football.

But that was after the 2015 NFC Divisional Playoffs. Remember that game? Because just about the entire receiving corps went down with injury, Janis was called into action at Arizona and caught 7 of 11 targets for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns. After that game, sports talk shows were littered with fans screaming for Janis to play. People were chatting me up about Janis at the grocery store for goodness sakes.

But who is Janis? After Geronimo Allison showed how athletic and capable as a receiver he can be, Janis has moved to the No. 5 wideout and may very well drop to No. 6 if Trevor Davis has a good camp in his sophomore season.

Janis is almost out of time. Granted, he’s a solid special teams player, but is it really worth it to bring back another Jarrett Bush? I’m not diminishing the importance of special teams, but for a team that takes pride in its value, it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to mainly have a guy that is just a returner and gunner.

The coaches know what they’re getting with Janis as a wideout. The seventh rounder has taken deep balls off his facemask and he has shown an inability to get in synch with Aaron Rodgers.

That stuff can be cleaned up some in camp, but with this being Janis’ fourth season, how much is actually going to change? Janis came to Green Bay as a potential diamond in the rough out of unheralded Division II Saginaw Valley State. Most raved about his speed and thought he would be able to stretch the field while keeping defenses honest underneath.

Janis never materialized into a weapon mainly because he could never truly be counted on. His straight-line speed can’t be exploited when he’s getting bottled up at the line of scrimmage.

So the question for Janis is what’s next? Can he be more than just a special teams weapon?

With the Packers getting more versatile with Ty Montgomery and with CBS Sports projecting that the Packers will select Dalvin Cook in the upcoming draft, it doesn’t look like there will be much room for Janis.

Right now, Janis is a starting pitcher with just a fastball. He needs to add a second and third pitch to be able stick and stay as a receiver. If he doesn’t diversify, his NFL life isn’t far from over. 

 

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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn

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Comments (42)

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TKWorldWide's picture

March 25, 2017 at 06:17 am

After this much time in the league I think he is what he is. The coaches see him in practice every day. The coaches want to win. If the coaches thought he gave GB the best chance to win, they'd use him more.

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TheVOR's picture

March 26, 2017 at 09:51 am

You're absolutely right, he is what he is, a special teams standout, and theres nothing wrong with that. All teams need that special teams standout. He's clearly never going to be a NFL WR of any major substance.

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TheVOR's picture

March 26, 2017 at 09:51 am

You're absolutely right, he is what he is, a special teams standout, and theres nothing wrong with that. All teams need that special teams standout. He's clearly never going to be a NFL WR of any major substance.

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marpag1's picture

March 25, 2017 at 06:48 am

Jeff Janis never stopped being "Janis!" It's just that "Janis!" was never a very good receiver, and he's the same now as he ever was.

If one great catch made a great receiver, David Tyree would be God.

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jeremyjjbrown's picture

March 25, 2017 at 07:39 am

Yeah, I think the issue is just that reality finally caught up with peoples imaginations.

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dobber's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:59 am

Packerland's greatest lightning-rod....

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NickPerry's picture

March 26, 2017 at 07:12 am

Right?? 42 comments and counting..

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jww061356's picture

March 25, 2017 at 07:32 am

I was another person that thought Janis was going to break through after that playoff game. But he doesn't seem to exhibit the work ethic that he needs to run better routes and get on the same page with AR. As a result, while he teases us with an occasional flash here and there in spot duty, he is not consistent enough to truly threaten a D. He has become the classic example of "Looks like Tarzan, Plays Like Jane." I know this may seem harsh, but in this league you can either play or you can't, and 4 years is plenty of time to develop the skills to contribute as a receiver in the NFL.

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MarkinMadison's picture

March 25, 2017 at 08:13 am

Never was on that bandwagon. My bet is he does not last to September.

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Since'61's picture

March 25, 2017 at 08:30 am

If you're asking if Janis can be mediocre again, then the answer is Yes! He has excellent speed but not much else. He has played well on Special Teams but he can easily be replaced by a more versatile player who can also contribute to either the offense or defense. He may not make it through this season's camp. Thanks, Since '61

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

March 25, 2017 at 12:24 pm

Agree Janis is in some danger for the reasons you cite, but... you'll search a long time for another 6'3" 220 pound speedster to be your gunner. Those are NOT easily replaced.

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Andrew Lloyd Peth's picture

March 25, 2017 at 08:44 am

Toward the end of this past season, when Janis played, he produced. I'm interested to see what he does with one more camp.

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Tundraboy's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:56 am

Agree. Not ready to write him off just yet,but this year, preseason could be his last shot in GB. Hope the light bulb went off for him this winter. It is after all a league of immediate expectations.

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NickPerry's picture

March 26, 2017 at 07:17 am

Hey you never know right TB? It took Donald Driver EXACTLY 4 years to become a WR in the NFL. Driver only had 37 catches his first 3 seasons combined. In no way am I suggesting Janis is the next Driver, just that it can take a few years for the bulb to burn bright!

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Tundraboy's picture

March 26, 2017 at 02:49 pm

Let it shine.

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NickPerry's picture

March 25, 2017 at 08:47 am

"Janis is almost out of time. Granted, he’s a solid special teams player, but is it really worth it to bring back another Jarrett Bush? "

One could argue Bush was just as inept at playing CB as Janis is at playing WR. Both have/had made the occasional play on offense or defense, but they make their money on ST.

In 2015 the Packers allowed just 4.2 YPR for the season and a majority of that was due to Janis being in the face of the returner the moment he caught the ball forcing the returner to either make a fair catch or get blasted after a yard or two.
Last season he was forced to play with that club on his hand so he was somewhat limited. Coincidently the Packers YPR jumped to 9.4. Part of that was due to a new punter, but part was due to Janis's hand injury.

Until the Packers have a player who can do what Janis does on a consistent basis on ST I think he probably has a job on the Packers, just like Bush did.

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Matt Gonzales's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:24 am

Yep. If we have another gunner emerge that can break through double teaming maybe Janis is done, but his contribution to the field position game and occasional splash play on offense gets him at least a 1-2 year offer otherwise. Elliot is not our lead gunner, Davis is probably too small framed (though he has the speed), and I don't see any of our starting WRs or DBs being put in that role.

Maybe they'll experiment in camp/PS with Geronimo in those roles.

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NickPerry's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:43 am

I hear ya. Maybe Janis the receiver will never materialize but Janis the gunner is the best the Packers have right now. Maybe Hawkins, Evans, or Brice steps up. A lot will depend what/who TT adds to the team in the draft, UDFA's, and possible veterans added after the draft.

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JacFrost's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:08 am

I remember thinking wow, fast, tall, this guy could be the bookend to jordy. We all had high hopes. while I gave up on him last year many fans still hung in there hoping
The Janis experiment is over time to cut ties. I will always believe is issues were etween the ears

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egbertsouse's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:22 am

I always thought the guy was kind of a meatball and not the brightest bulb on the tree. Sort of like Gronk, but without the freakish skills. I don't think he's as great on special teams as everyone thinks, he makes a lot of dumb mistakes. That also makes him like Bush, except for a year or two Jarrett's special teams prowess was mostly a myth, at least according to sites like PFF or Football Outsiders.

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dobber's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:57 am

OK...to start, I personally think that--right now--Janis is all he's ever going to be. People call him dumb. He's not dumb...at least not compared to some of the guys he shares the field with. He's a freakish athlete. He just doesn't seem to process at the NFL level.

That said, I recall a player from UW LaCrosse who had a few good seasons in GB, but was cut by the Packers and Pats prior to that. It took him four seasons to log his third catch (1998: 31-452-1) and FIVE seasons before he had a breakout season (1999: 74-1051-5). I think there are a lot of parallels between him and Janis. I'm not advocating that they stick with Janis in case the game ever slows down for him, but just saying that you never know. You can't teach athleticism.

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stockholder's picture

March 25, 2017 at 10:31 am

Janis needs to get out of GB. A-Rod and Janis can't get along. Oh you'll see everything that says they can. But the sad truth is they can't. Adams is A-rods love. Not Janis. And Jarod knew he had to go too. Allison will be leaving too. Everyone of these guys are waiting for a chance, that will never amount to ANYTHING. The WR position needs speed and A-Rods approval. The WR class of 2014 was a flop. To long to develop, and just not as good as advertised. TT knew it and took Monty, Davis, and still tried to let Allison have a shot. The new TE scheme will just make it harder for these guys to get their Chance. Janis will be the next one to be shown the door. Just like the Free Agent class of 2017.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:36 pm

I think the best thing for Janis the wide receiver is to get out of GB. Not sure about Janis the NFL player drawing a real salary. However, the issue is whether he can make the 53 on some other team.

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stockholder's picture

March 25, 2017 at 10:45 pm

I know he can make another 53. How long can he stay? He needs to be wanted. Being he had time off for several things. ( thats what will hurt him. ) He is worth the chance for any team. And everyone saw he does have something. He just no longer fits. So he has no chance now. Needs a fresh start.

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NickPerry's picture

March 26, 2017 at 06:17 am

The Vikings would be calling him about 7 minutes after he was released. He'd probably be ahead of Treadwell before his 1st practice...

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johnnyd17's picture

March 25, 2017 at 11:07 am

memo to eznark....Verne Lundquist is from Austin TX

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Ryan Prueher's picture

March 25, 2017 at 12:02 pm

Nonsense! Long live the "double white lightning" formation!

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tm_inter's picture

March 25, 2017 at 12:03 pm

Janis is fast and strong. Have the Packers ever thought of using him as running back?

I really hate to see him go and flourish with another team.

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croatpackfan's picture

March 25, 2017 at 03:23 pm

He will not flourish with other team... He does not know how to run routes correctly...

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Tundraboy's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:55 pm

That's a bit harsh. He basically has played two years,and you can't be certain of what he could be. Lot of athletic talent to simply dismiss.

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Spock's picture

March 25, 2017 at 12:11 pm

There is nothing wrong with Janis just being a special teams ace -although last year he did make more mistakes on special teams and seemed less effective (granted the club was a problem). I never was on the "Janis as a WR" bandwagon, but I do appreciate what he brings to special teams. I actually think Jarrod Bush was FINALLY getting to be an okay cover guy his last year or two in GB. Do I see Janis being a better WR? No. He seems to have a lot of trouble tracking the ball. He's not dumb (scored high on the Wonderlic) just doesn't seem to have "game speed" football instincts. Doesn't mean we shouldn't keep him (Maybe he would be trade bait for a team needing a gunner?). That will get sorted out in training camp.

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Gman1976's picture

March 25, 2017 at 12:18 pm

Didn't it take Jordy about 3 years before he became a stud? And he came from a top program.

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NMPF's picture

March 25, 2017 at 12:51 pm

Janis is who we thought he is. Below average receiver, pretty darn good ST player. Had high hopes but looks like a .44 magnum athlete with a BB brain.

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ben's picture

March 25, 2017 at 01:58 pm

Wrong. Janis probably has one of the highest production to opportunity ratios on the team. The problem is he has never been given any consistent opportunity. Though when given his limited inconsistent opportunities whether on special teams or at WR he has made plays, often big plays.

Next to Rodgers, He's the most gifted offensive player on the packers roster. Not only has he been productive with very limited opportunity, He also could represent the downfield threat the packers have needed for years to stretch the field and open up the offense. The packers just traded their 1 down the field threat in Jared Cook for a 30 year old, not very fast to begin with, over-rated martellous Bennett who's averaged just 450 yards a season in the NFL.

I'm so glad I'm not a packer fan. The packers make such bad personnel decisions. Playing slow safeties at corner, Playing DE's at OLB, and Playing a 3-4 defense with blatantly obvious 4-3 personnel. All in appeasement of another disastrous personnel decision in keeping Don Capers and his failed zone-blitz year after year.

But more than that, I'm glad I'm no longer a packer fan because you. A misguided, intellectually dependent, follow the herd fan-base that makes this great squandering of such organizational opportunity possible.

All this talk of Jeff Janis "not having the work ethic" or "having trouble catching the ball" or "not being able to track the ball" or "Jeff isn't smart enough?" is 100% Made in Wisconsin Cow Shit. Your intellectually corrupt, and as packer fans, needing to believe your doing it the packer way which is now TT's way, are making false justifications for yet another poor organizational decision.

Jeff Janis is a freak, a gamer, and probably a future Viking.

And I don't want to hear about ancient Viking history. 2 years ago the NFC North Champion Vikings were a blair walsh chip-shot away from winning the super-bowl. (as at the time they were better than, and would have beaten both Carolina and Denver) Last year the Vikings were 5 & 0 before losing their franchise QB, hall of fame RB, and all 5 starting Olineman.

This year the Vikings will have greatest Defense assembled in the last 17 years, since the 2000 champion Baltimore Ravens.

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marpag1's picture

March 25, 2017 at 03:46 pm

LOL.

In Green Bay, Packer fans are divided about whether or not they should cut a former seventh round WR that a Viking fan calls "the most gifted offensive player on the Packers' roster" next to Rodgers.

In Minnesota, they draft Laquon Treadwell and Cordarrelle Patterson in the first round.

Have fun with that, Ben.

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NickPerry's picture

March 25, 2017 at 04:13 pm

Nice!!

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marpag1's picture

March 25, 2017 at 04:46 pm

In fairness, you can kinda see why Ben is terribly confused and thinks Janis is a stud. After all, Janis had almost TEN TIMES more yardage in the single game against Arizona than Treadwell had for the entire 2016 season (145 to 15). Janis also had 2 TDs in that game which is.... hmmmm, lemmee see.... 2 more than Treadwell's total for the year.

Only problem is, JAGs who are 10 times better than Minny's first round draft picks usually don't make the team in Green Bay.

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OrganLeroy's picture

March 25, 2017 at 04:03 pm

LOL..Illiterate trolling just reached new heights!

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GVPacker's picture

March 25, 2017 at 04:07 pm

Ben what brand of Model Airplane Glue do you sniff?

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NickPerry's picture

March 25, 2017 at 04:16 pm

"And I don't want to hear about ancient Viking history. 2 years ago the NFC North Champion Vikings were a blair walsh chip-shot away from winning the super-bowl. (as at the time they were better than, and would have beaten both Carolina and Denver) Last year the Vikings were 5 & 0 before losing their franchise QB, hall of fame RB, and all 5 starting Olineman."

"This year the Vikings will have greatest Defense assembled in the last 17 years, since the 2000 champion Baltimore Ravens."

And you have the nerve to CALL US HOMERS. At least we know our teams limitations. The Vikings AND Bridgewater haven't won a playoff game yet you have them beating Carolina in the Championship and Denver in the SB. Christ ben, you barely won the North 2 years ago and clearly didn't DESERVE to beat Seattle if you can't make a 27 yard FG.

BTW... WHY do you still have a picture of Jordy Nelson? Do your fellow "Purple People Eaters" know?

BTW#2... Don't you think a "Franchise QB" should have more than 14 TD's a season before calling him a "Franchise QB"?

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Tundraboy's picture

March 25, 2017 at 09:59 pm

"The Vikings AND Bridgewater haven't won a playoff game yet you have them beating Carolina in the Championship and Denver in the SB."

Great one NP. I'm still laughing. About as delusional as Levar Ball.

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zeke's picture

March 26, 2017 at 06:46 am

"This year the Vikings will have greatest Defense assembled in the last 17 years, since the 2000 champion Baltimore Ravens."

And then they'll crap the bed and roll around in it like they always do, because Vikings.

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