Many assumed that huge receiver Allen Lazard and the New York Jets can be damaged up by now contemplating the membership parted methods with each fellow receiver Davante Adams and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Lazard’s former Inexperienced Bay Packers teammates, earlier within the offseason.
On Sunday evening, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio shared why Lazard might stay with the Jets via the 2025 NFL Draft.
“The Jets can’t designate Lazard as a post-June 1 lower, as a result of they’ve already used their two per 12 months on Rodgers and linebacker C.J. Mosley,” Florio defined. “So the choices are to commerce him, lower him after June 1 (and break up the salary-cap cost over two years) or lower him earlier than June 1 (and take the complete cap cost in 2025).”
Lazard reportedly was on a “want record” of gamers submitted by Rodgers to the Jets in early 2023, and the previous finally signed a four-year contract with Gang Inexperienced said to be value as much as $44M with $22M assured. Rodgers then went down with a torn Achilles 4 offensive snaps into his first common season with the group, and Lazard ended that marketing campaign with 23 catches for 311 yards and one landing.
The hope final summer season was that Rodgers’ return to the lineup would end in Lazard having a bounce-back season. Nonetheless, the 29-year-old missed time in the course of the marketing campaign due to a chest damage and was largely seen as an afterthought because the Jets went 5-12.
Throughout 12 games, Lazard tallied 37 receptions for 530 yards and 6 scores.
As of Monday morning, it felt as if Rodgers hoped a Minnesota Vikings group that went 14-3 this previous season would signal him to start out over 2024 first-round draft choose J.J. McCarthy this coming September. The New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers are potential fallback choices for Rodgers if Minnesota turns to McCarthy.
“The obvious guess is the Jets are ready to see the place quarterback Aaron Rodgers lands,” Florio continued. “That group would change into the obvious candidate to commerce for Lazard if Rodgers desires Lazard on the group and if the brand new group is prepared to let Rodgers play quasi-G.M. (just like the Jets had been).”
Rodgers probably wants the Vikings greater than they want him, and the Steelers might really feel they don’t have to commerce for a weapon no matter that participant’s working relationship with the long run Corridor of Famer. On paper, the Giants may use assistance on offense, however there was no indication as of Monday morning that Rodgers was in any rush to hitch the NFC East aspect that’s coming off a 3-14 season.
“The one query is whether or not the Jets will find yourself chopping him or getting a late-round choose from whichever group indicators Rodgers — if that group is prepared to tackle the wage,” Florio added about Lazard. “Even then, Rodgers’ new group may determine to attend till the Jets inevitably terminate Lazard’s contract.”
