After four years of being shackled by the dumbest coach in the NFL, Jeff Janis is moving on to Cleveland. It’s a promising development for all of us – and there are a lot of us – who’ve been awaiting Janis’ chance to spread his wings and soar.
No other front office in the league knows more about Janis’ capabilities. Browns assistant general manager Eliot Wolf was in the Green Bay front office for all of Janis’ four years in Wisconsin. So was Alonzo Highsmith, who was the Packers’ senior personnel executive. He’s now in his first year as the Browns’ vice president of player personnel.
Finally, there’s Browns’ GM John Dorsey, who was in the Packers front office for 13 years, until shortly before Janis arrived in Green Bay. Just think, if the Packers had brought Dorsey back from Kansas City a year or two ago to replace Ted Thompson as GM, as they should have, Dorsey could’ve, should’ve, and probably would’ve ordered Mike McCarthy to play Janis.
I was frankly worried that every other NFL team might have assumed that the great Mike McCarthy, that fabulous judge of player talent, had a valid reason for refusing to play Janis at wide receiver. I figured that would be the case with at least 25 teams, but hoped there were half a dozen that could think for themselves.
I’m still nervous about Cleveland’s plans for Janis, because I could care less how good a special teams player he is. Janis has the tools of a classic WR1 – someone who can outrun and out-juke most defensive backs, and he can out-muscle and out-jump any of those who don’t approach his size, strength, and athleticism.
The Cleveland Situation
Since the Packers now have Cleveland’s starting quarterback from last year, incoming QB Tyrod Taylor is likely to be the starter when the regular season gets underway. The Browns, of course, are sitting pretty with the first and fourth overall draft selections.
Forecasters predict USC QB Sam Darnold will be chosen first overall, and it’s very possible that Penn State running back Saquon Barkley will follow him to Cleveland. If not an instant offensive infusion, at least by 2019 the Browns are likely to be an offensive powerhouse.
Taylor is no slouch. In his previous seven years in Buffalo, he compiled a very respectable 91.2 passer rating. Though he was only a starter the last three years there, his touchdown to interception ratio is a sparkling 51:16. What he has yet to do is pass for big yardage. His average yardage through the air is under 3,000 for those three years. His running ability is superb, however. He’s been averaging 525 yards on the ground.
The Cleveland receiving corps has suddenly become crowded. Josh Gordon is their WR1 and he has star quality. He also comes with loads of baggage. He’s only started 10 games since 2013 – he missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons due to substance abuse issues.
Packers fans saw what Gordon is capable of when the winless Browns took the Packers into overtime last December. He had three catches for 69 yards and a touchdown, and he looked like a man against boys when roaming around in the Packers’ secondary.
If you remember how athletic and dominating Gordon appeared in that game, bear in mind that Janis is as tall (though five pounds lighter), considerably faster, has more burst, is more agile (Gordon skipped those two combine tests), is a better leaper, and had 20 bench presses vs. 13 at the combine. Both are 26 years old.
Also new to the Browns is Jarvis Landry. In his last three years in Miami, Landry averaged nearly 1,100 yards receiving. That’s a bit misleading, however, as he was targeted so often: 166, 131 and 161 times.
Landry, at 5’11” and 208 pounds, is a slot receiver. His combine numbers were well below average across the board. And yet he’s made the Pro Bowl three out of four years. The Browns will be paying him around $15 million this season because Miami had franchise-tagged him. I wonder if Janis got 10 percent of what Landry hauled in.
Janis to Start?
Maybe I’m biased, but I think that Janis will be one of the two starting wideouts come opening day. He’s bound to beat out Corey Coleman, Ricardo Louis and Rashard Higgins – guys who go a long way to explaining DeShone Kizer’s poor passing stats and winless record in 2017. If so, the Browns wide-out talents on each side of the field will create some daunting matchup challenges.
Say what you will, the Browns have turned their passing game upside down with the additions of Tyrod Taylor, Jarvis Landry and Jeff Janis. And that’s not counting two out of the first four draft picks.
Congratulations Jeff. A great many Packers fans will be rooting for you and eagerly following your exploits.
Sure this isn’t Rob’s article. I don’t see Joseph writing this?
Especially since Joe already wrote an article about Janis, the eighth wonder of the world, or the combine, or whatever.
In his four years with the team, I never saw a fan comment that Janis was the second coming of Jordy Nelson. The most consistent question has been, when you have someone who flashes when given a chance to make plays, where did the aversion come from using him in spot situations to capitalize on his inarguable athleticism for the benefit of the team?
It seems you think the Packers coaching staff are savants when it comes to how they use their personnel, because no former Packers player ever blossoms when they get a chance to be better utilized in another system with another coaching staff.
The only exception to that thinking I’ve seen is when you piss and moan over and over about how fucked up the Packers are from top to bottom because of how they misused some player you had a chub for.
At least your inconsistent.
Let me address your last point first. The only player i’ve stated the Packers misused was Ty Montgomery, i felt that way even when he averaged 5.9 YPC and everyone else had a chubby over that. If you have some examples of where i pissed and moaned over someone’s misuse, i’d be more than happy to read about them.
So going in reverse order…..you claim i think the Packers are savants regarding Packer talent, that ends up flourishing in another system. The difference being, those players who flourished elsewhere, had extensive playing time in Green Bay. They had enough talent to get playing time in Green Bay. Why and under what circumstances they flourished can be vast, ie: coaching, position, scheme, etc.
I have stated in the past, even recently, that Janis could be more productive in a simpler offensive scheme. I have also stated in the past that McCarthy should have implemented Janis into plays using his one asset (speed) on go routes. He refused to do that, that’s on McCarthy. Although Janis did play in 233 snaps in 2016, his highest productive season in Green Bay catching 11 balls for 93 yards. It should also be noted that in his 4 years here, Janis has a catch rate below 50%.
Now….and listen closely…..I get on Janis mainly because of his supporters, who think it’s everyone else’s fault for Janis not getting on the field. Never once do i remember reading a comment from his supporters that Janis is at all responsible or have any faults that would preclude him from more playing time. That is consistent. Also i write about Janis because it’s good comedic fodder (like comparing him to Julio Jones, etc) as i’m usually writing tongue in cheek, sprinkled in sarcasm.
We’ve all read the articles….McCarthy is out to ruin Janis career, Rodgers hates Janis, blah blah blah blah. I’m sure Rodgers would hate to play with a guy who runs a 4.3 40 and precise routes. That sounds dumb doesn’t it? But lets not take the Packers word for it, What did scouts outside around the league say about Janis? Do their judgement’s ring true 4 years after? Lets take a look……
AFC scout: “Big, strong guy. Little straight-line. He’s got straight-line speed so he can run by people. But when he starts having to run routes, he struggles a little bit in and out of his breaks.”
AFC scout: “He’s horrible.”
NFC scout: “Free agent. I don’t think he’s going to be much better than that. He’s no Jordy Nelson, all right?”
If you’ve read 10% of my post, you already know i show little support for the Circus act that has been running up in Green Bay for some years. And i sure as hell don’t support any of the clowns running the circus. But…..i will use it as entertainment to get me through it until they retire and get the fuck out of there, because imo, almost all the damage has been done already in regards to wasting Rodgers.
Lastly…I won’t be surprised if Cleveland uses him more and he’s somewhat more productive. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he was just a gunner on special teams for them.
Here’s one thing some you fail to realize, and it’s painfully simple to understand. If want to play wide receiver in Green Bays offense, you need to run the right routes, cut at the right yardage, and be where you are supposed to be at the right time. If you can’t accomplish those things in a offense predicated on timing, you will not be a part of Green Bays offense.
It’s not proof people are set out to ruin someones career.
Thank you for reading this novel, and…
You’re welcome.
Good luck Jeff Janis. I’ll admit I was always one who thought along the same lines as those who didn’t think he was given the same fair shake some others obviously were afforded for their mistakes . No matter now anyhow. If things go well for him there, some will feel validated. I hope so. If things do not go well for him, then others can feel validated. We’ll see.
Like some others Mitch, i feel blessed to be here because of the vast knowledge i learn here from all these fine people.
For example..i learned that McCarthy set out to ruin Janis’s career in Green Bay. I was shocked, as i didn’t even know that was one of his goals. But now….i know. Nobody, i mean nobody…can argue with logic like that.
Sure, some people might refute that by saying that Nelson’s play had something to do with him not getting a lot of playing time. Like fucking up and making stupid decisions on returning kick-offs, so much so, that he was terminated from that duty. Some also might claim that if he can’t handle simple return duty’s with some intelligence, how would he grasp an offense and precise route running? Hogwash!!…I mean….this guy is a once in a generation talent….have you seen his combine metrics? Yes people….i’m talking Julio Jones here.
I happen to believe that Janis is so talented, he could play anywhere at a high level. You doubt me? Ok, how about running back? Jeff Janis has a career 19 YPC average. The Packers were looking at converting wide receiver Ty Montgomery to running back, which failed, while right under their nose was Janis, with the highest carry average in league history. It’s painfully obvious that everyone was out to ruin Janis’s career.
The more dumb down i am, the smarter i become.
You forgot to mention he is so good that the other 31 teams skipped over him in the draft in the first 6 rounds. Just to give the packers a shot at him
Below my man….below, as you saw :)
Janis didnt get WR reps in GB cause rodgers didnt want them. Rodgers decides who the wideouts are… if rodgers wanted Janis he would have playing time. Rodgers doesnt throw to people he doesnt trust.
That being said I wish they had given Janis some reps after the AR injury to see if he could do it.
Yep
A lot of different reasons are being told why Janis hasn’t flourished as a 7th round pick. Some say Rodgers hates him, Some say McCarthy is out to ruin his career. Some say he just can’t learn and conform to the playbook.
IDK…Why don’t we pick a reason and stick with it?
But then again, you read his draft scouting reports, and they sound familiar to the Janis we know, and maybe explain’s why he fell to the 7th round. But that would make too much sense.
All i know is we now lost another Peoples Champion, first KUHNNN!!. Now, the great white hunter.
Hey!!….we still have Hundley!…and he hunts!!
Or……wipe the tears away, accept that Janis is gone (like it matters anyway) and move the F on. This isn’t Jordy Nelson here. This was a guy one notch above the hot dog vendor.
Who’s better cobb the RB or Janis the WR
CAUTION!!
It’s a trick question!!
LOL
Some of you guys are starting to sound like Packer apologists . . . hmmmm
Other then special teams what will you miss? The half assed route running? Running the wrong routes entirely?
Anti-Janis fans bought into the “can’t run good routes” zeitgeist lock, stock and barrel and even now that he’s gone, parrot it endlessly.
I can’t stand those people. Uneducated morons who can’t understand football.
Some people who “claim” they are smart, claim that Janis won’t prosper in a complicated offense that is predicated on timing, thus running precise routes. Those same people feel like his skills (speed) are better suited for a run and shoot offense where he has freedom to roam and the responsibility is more on the QB to find him.
Those people know nothing and fail to realize that Janis is the Peoples Champion. Those people also claim that once it is proven (in their minds) that some players are failures, writers will write story’s and show pics of these players in hunting gear, or cooking venison. Ya know, just average good Joe’s. What’s not to like amirite?
TMZ’s own Mordecai Lee recently caught up with Janis as he was sharing a lunch with his friend Brett Hundley. Although they didn’t want to intrude, Janis was heard to say that when he gets to Cleveland he’s going to march right into Jimmy Haslam’s office and demand an explanation on why the Cleveland Browns didn’t draft him back in 2014.
Give em Hell in Cleveland Dawg!!
LMAO
All righty then, listen, i’m going now, you’ve all been terrific as always. Please don’t forget to tip your waitress.
Lol! Yep!
to SAVAGE 57
Cleveland is becoming us, and we are becoming Cleveland.
We’ll always have Dallas (2011).
It’s like Freaky Friday where two people swap bodies.
Janis was on the field multiple times in his career and never showed he was better than the starters. Therefore, his agilty lags behind his athleticism, and the Browns can have him. Allison isnt great, bit as a receiver is better than Janis.
Jug time already?? Janis will not be one of the starting WRs for the Browns this year.
Gordon , Landry, Coleman, Draft [email protected] #2, Higgins, Janis. Prop bet in Vegas? Will Janis be a probowl sp. teams ace.
Agreed. Corey Coleman is pretty damn solid
Janis ends up w Pats in mid season trade after they realize they need Amendola replacement….