Allen Lazard
Getty
WR Allen Lazard could be a trade target for a few teams, including the Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings’ wide receivers room has been hit with a serious string of bad luck heading into the 2025 regular season.
With superstar Justin Jefferson working back from a hamstring issue, WR2 Jordan Addison set to be suspended three games, Rondale Moore lost for the year with a knee injury and Jalen Nailor also banged up, Kevin O’Connell could use another big-bodied target.
The 6-foot-5 Allen Lazard fits that description. Vikings fans remember him well from his five seasons playing for the rival Green Bay Packers, but he has been languishing in New York with the Jets for two years and could use a change in scenery.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra listed Lazard among the potential trade candidates for Minnesota considering its current needs at WR. Let’s discuss whether or not the Vikings should be interested.
Lazard Has Had a Rough Go of it With the New York Jets
Allen Lazard, Jets
GettyShould the Vikings try to trade for current New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard?
Lazard has never been a 1,000-yard guy, but he he has been relatively consistent over his career. He had 2,236 yards and 20 TDs over his five seasons with the Packers before he headed to New York.
After a grim 2023 debut with the Jets (23 catches, 311 yards, one TD), he rebounded in 2024 with 37 receptions for 530 yards and six touchdowns in only 12 games before a chest injury landed him on injured reserve in late October. He was activated in December and finished strong.
The Vikings don’t need a WR1; they just need a guy who can convert slants, digs and glance routes off play-action — and Lazard meets that description. Lazard also happens to block his tail off, which is always a desired trait.
There’s also legit trade smoke. The Jets gave him permission to seek a trade back in March of 2025, so it’s entirely plausible Lazard could be moved yet this year. He’d also be an affordable add.
Lazard’s reworked deal chopped his 2025 cap hit to roughly $4.6 million, with a base salary around $2.25 million. For the Vikes, they could add a veteran with starting experience on the cheap. His frame and catch radius would give J.J. McCarthy a forgiving window on RPO slants and boundary comebacks, and his blocking would let Minnesota live in 11 personnel without tipping run/pass.
What Might an Allen Lazard Trade Look Like for the Minnesota Vikings?
While reports suggest Minnesota may be looking into bringing Adam Thielen back home via trade, if that falls through, Lazard would be the perfect Plan B.
Here’s a look at a trade proposal we think would sway the Jets:
Vikings receive: Allen Lazard from the Jets
Jets receive: A 2026 sixth-round pick that could escalate to a fifth if he hits 45 catches or snags seven touchdowns
Swap of 2026 seventh-round picks
Adding Lazard wouldn’t be a splash, but it could help McCarthy get through the team’s opening stretch, at least until Addison gets back and the rest of the WRs room gets a bit more healthy.
It’s also the kind of quiet, pragmatic trade contenders tend to make in August—and the kind that can pay off in December.