Fresh off inking a whopping $62.5 million contract with the New York Giants, Janoris Jenkins was asked in a conference call on Thursday what he could improve upon. The cornerback's answer was ... ummm ... interesting:
"Just stop being lazy at the end of games or whatever," he replied.
We generally rail on athletes for constant coupling of clichés in response to questions, so I won't completely kill Jenkins for giving an honest assessment, but it is certainly a troubling thought. A player admitting to laziness just got the second-most guaranteed money for any cornerback in the NFL? Admission of a problem is the first step in recovery, right?
Jenkins further explained what he meant by being "lazy."
"Just relaxing, thinking about the ball not coming to my side, and focusing more on the game," Jenkins said, via ESPN.com. "It's just a mind thing, easy to control. Playing on this level, some things are going to happen and you've just got to improve, man."
The 27-year-old corner certainly has had his struggles, giving up a boatload of big plays and touchdowns in his four years with the Rams. He was also the top cover man on the open market and owns the ability to make game-changing plays.
Jenkins' huge contract will be scrutinized for years to come and has the chance to be one of the biggest blunders in free agency, especially if he struggles under the bright New York lights.
It's not a player's fault a team was willing to back up a Brinks truck for him.
It is his fault if he can't overcome laziness in a big spot.