Panic Room

Panic Room

You can look at the re-signing of wide receiver James Jones in two ways. The first is that a valuable resource was on the market and General Manager Ted Thompson jumped at the chance to upgrade a now weak position. Or it could be seen as a panic move bringing in a one-year solution at the expense of a couple of promising young players.

James Jones is all smiles to be wanted

Like I said yesterday, I don't have a problem, per say, with the signing of Jones after he had been shown the door by both the Raiders and the Giants this off-season. I think he will have a decent season re-teaming up with Aaron Rodgers and he might even become Rodgers' favorite target. However, it is because of that I feel the signing might also set back the progress of the entire receiving corps, especially No. 4 receiver Jeff Janis.

 

Myles White smiling before the Turk knocked on his door

As it turned out No. 5 receiver Myles White was the immediate victim of bringing Jones back when he got cut Monday after leading the Packers in receiving during the pre-season and making the 53-man roster on Saturday for the first time in his three-year Packer career.

 

It is rumored White will be signed to the practice squad, but I hope he decides against that and signs with another team because he won't get any help furthering his career from the Packers. Hoping a long career, Myles.

 

With the loss of Jordy Nelson Thompson's philosophy of "The Next Man Up" was actually working very well during the final two pre-season games. Janis and White took the challenge and stepped up, but that didn't save White's job.

 

White led the Packers with 16 catches for 157 yards. He averaged 9.8 yards a catch (not good for a wide receiver I admit) for two touchdowns and a long catch of 36 yards. You must remember that he was working almost exclusively with third-string quarterback rookie Brett Hundley because the Packers panicked after Nelson went down in the second pre-season game and hardly ever played the starters again in the final two pre-season games.

 

Against the Eagles in a very forgettable performance by the Packers as a whole White was targeted 12 times catching 9 for 89 yards. Against the Saints he caught 4 of 6 passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Last year White also led the team in receiving in the pre-season with 7 catches for 69 yards (again 9.9 a catch) with a touchdown and a long of 19 as he did his rookie year when he had 8 catches for 90 yards (11.3 ave.) with no touchdowns and a long of 23.

 

It seems the knock on White is he isn't a very physical receiver at 6-0, 190, which might be the reason his yardage after the catch isn't very good.

 

Janis continues to be the Rodney Dangerfield of the Packers because he gets absolutely no respect from the coaching staff, despite leading the team in touchdown receptions (3). He was the third leading receiver (behind the released running back Rajion Neal) with 10 catches for 149 yards.

 

Against the Eagles Janis caught all three passes thrown his way for 72 yards and a touchdown. He also returned three punts for 18 yards with a long return of 12 yards and one fair catch. Against the Saints he caught 2 of 4 passes for 21 yards and, surprise, surprise, another touchdown.
 

Just to put things in perspective about Janis is that whenever he gets a chance to play he produces big time. At Tawas Area High School in Michigan he was an all-conference wide receiver that led his team in rushing when he filled in as a running back following an injury.

 

At Saginaw Valley State he red-shirted and then played sparingly catching 9 passes for 130 yards with one touchdown. His sophomore season he led the team with 968 receiving yards with 14 TDs. His junior year he was second in the nation in receptions with 106 and led all Division II with 1,635 yards while catching 17 TDs. His senior year he caught 83 passes for 1,572 yards and 14 TDs. His collegiate stats were 246 catches, 4,305 yards (second most in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference history), and 46 TDs for a TD percentage of 18.7.

 

Janis' final distinction was being the first SVSU wide receiver ever drafted (2014) and only the second football player drafted at any position. The first was guard Todd Herremans by the Eagles in 2005, who ironically was a Packers fourth round draft pick that was traded for three picks in order to trade up to pick him. He is currently in his first year with the Colts.

 

His official stats are three games, no starts, with 2 catches for 16 yards. However, since McCarthy, Clements, and Van Pelt don't trust him in games that count you have to look at his pre-season stats where he caught 2 passes for 67 yards and 2 touchdowns his rookie year. His complete pre-season stats are 12 catches for 216 yards (18 yards a catch) and 5 touchdowns. Not too shabby.

 

It evidently doesn't pay to play good in the pre-season for this coaching staff. It seems that is the kiss of death as far as getting playing time in the regular season, if you even make the team.

 

White was released in the cut to 53 in both his first two seasons and re-signed to the practice squad both times. His rookie season he was elevated to the active roster when Randall Cobb was put on the injured reserve - designated to return list. He was active for 7 games and caught 9 passes for 66 yards (7.3 ave.) with no touchdowns and a long of 15 before suffering a knee injury and being placed on injured reserve. Last year he remained on the practice squad all season.

 

Last year Janis made the 53 last year, but played in only 3 games. The knock of Janis is his route running. That seems like something that could be corrected, but in his case I think you might not want to mess with him too much. He could be put in the company of Brett Favre and Hank Aaron. When you are teaching someone the proper way of throwing the ball or hitting the ball you wouldn't use either Favre or Aaron as an example. Technically neither one should have been the best who ever played (at the time of their retirement), but they got the job done.

 

Janis is the type of player who might not be exactly where he should be or get to his spot the proper way, but he produces (5 touchdowns out of 12 catches for TD percentage of 41.7). After what happened to White this also might be Janis' go-around with the Packers.

 

I think the receiving corps would have been just fine without Jones returning. I also think the receiving corps might be a little better with Jones back. However, is the trade-off (the stunting of Janis and releasing White) worth bringing Jones back?

 

On the pro side of the deal I would say Jones returning is totally worth it if losing Nelson was the one piece of the puzzle that would prevent the Packers from winning the Super Bowl. However, I think the offense would be just fine either way with Jones and Davante Adams on the outside and Cobb in the slot or with Adams and Janis on the outside Rodgers makes up for a lot of ills.

 

The con side is the stunting of Janis and White on an offense that will be productive with or without Jones. The Achilles Heal of the Packers is Dom Capers and the defense. The signing of Jones will not help the defense and the defense needs a lot of more help than Aaron Rodgers and the offense.

 

How many 35-32 games can the Packers win? That is the big question for the season. I guess the signing of Jones was made so the offense would score a lot of points. With that in mind I give the signing an "A" (for need, but not the need the "Trust in Ted" crowd thinks - problems with White and Janis - but the need of scoring more points than the opposition).

 

Let's hope Jones has enough left in his tank to lead the league in touchdown passes like he did in 2012 with 14. With a suspect defense the Packers will need every extra touchdown it can score.

 

One last Jones thought. Could Jones be a prima donna because not only did his return cost a young player his job and maybe his dream of playing in the NFL it also cost second-year tight end Richard Rodgers his No. 89.

 

Richard Rodgers at St. John's HS

I don't know whether Jones demanded it or Rodgers offered it seeing a chance to wear his old high school 82, which was being used by tight end Ryan Taylor at the beginning of last season. His collegiate number was 11. Maybe we'll find out some time this week.