Jets WR Allen Lazard
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Allen Lazard's eventual return figures to boost the Jets' offense.
There weren’t a ton of surprises for the New York Jets in Week 1, but one of them certainly arrived before Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers even kicked off.
Just 90 minutes prior to the game starting, veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard was listed among New York’s inactives. It’s a decision that shocked many, albeit one that didn’t make much of a difference in how the action unfolded.
The Jets scored points in bunches without Lazard, but his presence will likely be needed in the future. Following the 34-32 loss, head coach Aaron Glenn explained his logic.
Aaron Glenn Explains Why Allen Lazard Missed Week 1 of Season
Speaking to the media on Monday morning, Glenn revealed why he held Lazard out. He believes the talented pass catcher needed more time.
“Lazard missed, what, two weeks of training camp?” Glenn said. “We wanted to make sure that he was up to speed on everything we were doing. We’ll see how that goes this week.”
This doesn’t seem to tie into Lazard’s health. After all, he didn’t even appear on the Jets’ injury report for Week 1. That meant he was a healthy scratch, which comes with a negative connotation. Glenn’s answer is either an attempt to diffuse something more telling, or it should be taken at true face value.
Operating under the latter assumption until proven otherwise seems smart. Lazard indeed did miss plenty of time during the month of August. A shoulder ailment held him out of games, as well as practice as the preseason rolled on. Some anticipated that he’d land on injured reserve, but he recovered quickly enough to be healthy for the regular-season opener.
Lazard, who’s been subject to trade speculation, was widely expected to be the Jets’ second or third wideout this season. In just 12 games last year, he hauled in 37 passes for 530 yards and 6 touchdowns. The 29-year-old is back on a revised contract for 2025-26. That reworked pact allowed him to stay in New York and avoid being a potential cap casualty during the offseason.
If Lazard makes his debut in Week 2, this will all be forgotten.
Jets’ Offense Looking to Replicate Production Moving Forward
As mentioned, the Jets fared pretty well in Lazard’s absence. Quarterback Justin Fields had a very efficient day, completing 16 of 22 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown. He also got going on the ground, toting the ball 12 times for 48 yards and another two scores.
Fields’ receivers got the job done, for the most part. Leading the way, as expected, was wideout Garrett Wilson. The big-money receiver hauled in 7 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Slotting in behind him on the team leaderboard were Breece Hall (38 yards), Tyler Johnson (31 yards), Mason Taylor (20 yards), Josh Reynolds (18 yards) and Jeremy Ruckert (16 yards).
New York’s quality attack bodes well for the rest of the season. Given how daunting the Steelers’ defense can be to face, this was a legitimate challenge. The Jets passed with flying colors, all things considered, despite blowing the game in the final frame.
Whenever Lazard is back in the fold, things project to get easier. He’s a target with proven production and a tremendous catch radius. He’s a polarizing player among Gang Green fans, as evidenced by the reactions to him missing Week 1.
The football world will soon find out if Glenn really just exercised caution.