New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard is not the first receiver in NFL history to play well for a stretch of his career but begin to falter once an all-time great quarterback leaves.
He just happens to be the latest example. In the case of the Jets, though, the Lazard signing has been nothing short of a disaster.
Signed to a four-year deal worth over $44 million a month before Aaron Rodgers choose to come to New York in 2023, Lazard was expected to be a quality second option in the passing game.
In two full seasons with the team, though, Lazard caught just 60 passes for over 800 yards, and seven touchdowns. In one full season, those numbers would be solid. Over a two-year period, though, it shows that the former Green Bay Packer was overpaid.
And now the Jets have reportedly allowed Lazard to seek out a trade.
There is an out in Lazard's contract this offseason that would force New York to eat just over $6 million in dead cap. It would also mean the team wouldn't carry his over $13 million cap hit going into the regular season.
There's no denying New York may be better off looking for value elsewhere to find a running mate with Garrett Wilson this offseason. It also doesn't help that Lazard never seemed to fully grasp and handle the pressure of playing in New York as well.
"It was tough, a really tough year," Lazard said last offseason of his first year in New York. "I think it was arguably the hardest year of my career. A lot of adversity, moving cities, having a new team and a new environment, obviously losing Aaron, that was detrimental for the team. After playing alongside him the last four seasons, I was trying to figure out how I still be impactful."
Lazard's time in New York may be running out. But at the very least New York will try to let him go to a team that may actually need his services moving forward.
Related: Aaron Rodgers Signing With Giants 'Blown Out of Proportion'
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This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 2:58 PM.