Jeff Janis Says His Release Has Been the Problem
We had left Jeff Janis for dead not too long ago. However, after a strong preseason performance against Washington, he appears to still be in the mix for a roster spot.
Janis showed up with three catches for 63 yards in that game. Of course, as we all know, preseason success means little when it comes to the regular season.
Janis has made the Green Bay Packers’ roster with strong preseason showings before. That hasn’t translated into regular season success or playing time.
A lot of people have always wondered why. Route running? Didn’t know the playbook? Didn’t have Aaron Rodgers’ trust?
Janis says his release off the line of scrimmage is what has hindered him. Until now, his release was always predetermined.
“Not predetermining what you’re going to do off the line,” Janis said, “is something I’ve been trying to work on. Not just taking off and running like a speed release type thing. Just reading the DB and see what he’s going to do, and then going off of that.
“I think (a predetermined release) is something that I’ve probably done my whole football career. Because I’ve normally been faster than the DB I’m going against, so normally it’s just, ‘I’m going to beat this guy.’ At this level, everybody is pretty fast. So you’ve got to approach things a little differently.”
It’s nice that this has dawned on Janis in year four of his NFL career.
The Packers have plenty of capable receivers on the roster and they’re going to have to part with some of them. If Janis continues to build on what have been two pretty solid preseason games, the Packers will have a hard time dropping him.
Now, if Janis could just translate his preseason success to regular season success, we’d be in business.
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It dawn on him in his 4th year……good call Joseph.
As i was reading the article that was my thought exactly.
*ed
But how can you have regular season success without regular season playing time? I don’t think Janis has any significant “internal” problems. He has a giant external problem, however: Fat Mike. Given that McCarthy has done all he can to ruin Jeff’s career, I would characterize his comments as merely an effort to ingratiate himself to, and humble himself before, the Great Coach. If his “release” has been a big problem, why did it take more than three years for the coaching staff to pick up on it, if they even did?
So is Janis, Mike’s fault, or Rodgers fault? Who’s fault is he next week, Edgar Bennett’s, maybe the position coach’s fault?
Thank God it’s not any fault of Janis.
Great idea to have a WR coach that played RB his entire career
& to not have a WR position coach for a season (when they combined the QB & WR coaching positions). It took Jordy 3+ years to stay blossoming with a very good WR coach. Janis comes from a small school whose coaching level was not near the NFL level. Lets see what happens after this year, worst case you let him go next season when rookie contract is finished.
Janis seems to be able to track the ball a lot better. He could not catch anything over his shoulder before.
Maybe Happy Gilmore has learned how to putt.