Aaron Rodgers said Jeff Janis is still trying to master the mental side of the game.
"When he can stop thinking so much and react more, you see the athletic ability," Rodgers said. "He's obviously gifted very well with his athleticism, his jumping ability and his speed. He just needs to get to a level where he's not thinking as much and his instincts take over." Janis almost single-handedly saved the Packers' postseason run with two Hail Mary catches in the dying minutes of the Divisional Round loss, but he has yet to carve out a consistent role in the offense. These comments could help explain why. With Davante Adams' future in question, Janis has a real opportunity to seize a role, but he needs to show a better grasp of the offense.
According to ESPN Packers reporter Rob Demovsky, third-year WR Jeff Janis "is still a raw guy," and it "seems he's just not there yet."
Janis is running as a starter with Jordy Nelson (ACL) on active/PUP, but was reported to have had several miscommunications with Aaron Rodgers on the first day of camp. Demovsky considers Davante Adams the favorite to return as Green Bay's No. 3 receiver. Janis made waves for his monster game in the Divisional Round against Arizona, but he has just two career catches in the regular season.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Michael Cohen and Bob McGinn agreed on their Packers Podcast that third-year WR Jeff Janis has had a "disappointing" training camp so far.
It's been the consensus among beat writers from other Packers media outlets, as well. McGinn did suggest Janis may be more of a "gamer" than practice player, and that Janis' performance in Green Bay's preseason games carries more weight than his play on the practice field. By all accounts, Janis has dropped too many passes and still struggles to get on the same page as Aaron Rodgers.