Aaron Rodgers just got a much-needed boost to the New York Jets passing game.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich revealed on Friday, December 6, that veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard will be activated from injured reserve.
“Definite frustration from his standpoint. It’s like you said, he was having success. Obviously him and Aaron have a long history and have a real connection. You can see it and feel it when those two are on the field together. He wanted to keep building upon that connection and he was having a good year like you said. Excited to get [him] back into the fold and he has looked good this past week,” Ulbrich said.
Lazard had missed the last four games due to a chest injury.
Lazard Adds Another Threat to the Jets Passing Game
Before going out with an injury a month ago, Lazard was tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns (five).
Despite being gone for a month, Lazard is still tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns with Garrett Wilson.
It has been quite a comeback for Lazard. He originally joined the team during the 2023 offseason by way of a $44 million contract. The Jets hoped he’d be the Robin to Wilson’s Batman in the wide receiver room. However, it didn’t work out that way.
He appeared in 14 games and finished with 23 receptions for 311 receiving yards and a touchdown. It was by far the worst year of his career.
This past offseason there were legitimate trade rumors and the team strongly considered moving on. Despite that noise, the Jets ultimately decided to bring him back and Lazard played with a fire this season that he didn’t the year prior.
This season in the seven games he appeared in, Lazard racked up 30 receptions for 412 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Jets Can Escape the Lazard Contract This Offseason
Over the last two years, the Jets went all in with Rodgers and friends. This offseason the Jets might be heading for an all-out strategy instead.
Head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas were both fired earlier this season. Up next on the chopping block could be Lazard among others.
According to Spotrac, if the Jets cut bait with Lazard this offseason they would only eat $6.5 million in dead cap. When players sign contracts, the full deals are reported. For example, Lazard signed on the surface a four-year deal for $44 million. However, upon further review, the contract was really just a two-year deal for $22 million in all reality.
In the middle of Lazard’s struggles in 2023, then head coach Robert Saleh accidentally let it slip at the podium that his receiver was only going to be there for another year and a half. Despite the fact, he was actually under contract for beyond that timeframe. A peculiar comment that raised eyebrows on social media.
Saleh said the quiet part out loud that the team, behind the scenes, had already accepted that they would move on from Lazard at their first opportunity. A Freudian slip perhaps. It looks like that prediction will become a reality this offseason.
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