A plot twist has emerged in the New York Jets offseason plans.
Gang Green planned on cutting ties with veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard ahead of the open market. The team granted permission to Lazard and his representatives to seek a trade. Nothing came of it, yet Lazard remains on the roster.
“The biggest shocker of free agency for the Jets so far might be that Lazard remains on the roster — and until further notice is their best option as the No. 2 wide receiver,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini described Lazard still being on the roster as one of the “early surprises in free agency.” He revealed that many assumed Lazard would be cut because of his “$13.2 million cap charge.”
“Considering the dearth of proven receivers on the roster and the lack of quality in the free agent market, it would be prudent to keep Lazard, perhaps reworking his contract. He and Wilson are the only two pass catchers (wideouts and tight ends) with more than one touchdown reception last season,” Cimini added.
Lazard has two years remaining on the $44 million contract he signed with the Jets in 2023.
Jets Might End up Getting Stuck With Lazard in 2025
Garrett Wilson is a true special No. 1 wide receiver.
However, he doesn’t have any help in the Jets WR room. The depth chart lacks star power, depth, and proven experience.
Lazard, 29, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He scratched and clawed to make the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad. Lazard eventually caught the eye of the Green Bay Packers and transformed into a quality role player after joining their 53-man roster.
During his five years with the Packers, he appeared in 57 games and made 40 starts. Lazard caught 169 receptions for 2,236 receiving yards and hauled in 20 touchdowns.
Lazard bolted for the Jets in free agency but didn’t find the same success in New York.
The 6-foot-5, 227-pound receiver has appeared in 26 games and has made 22 starts for the Jets. During that stretch, Lazard has 60 catches for 841 receiving yards and seven scores.
Lazard over the past two years has been among the league leaders in drop rate.
WR leader in drop rate:
2023: Allen Lazard (17.9%)
2024: Allen Lazard (17.8%) https://t.co/b43WeJFbSy— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) March 4, 2025
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He rubbed the coaching staff the wrong way in 2023. So much so that Robert Saleh openly questioned his edge at the podium and made him a healthy scratch at the end of the season.
The question for new head coach Aaron Glenn is can he light that fire that once burned bright inside Lazard? If he can, keeping him on the roster makes a lot of sense. However, if he can’t, Lazard might not be long for New York.
Lazard Isn’t out of the Woods Yet
The original plan was for the Jets to cut Lazard. There is a world where he is still on the roster in 2025. However there is also still a chance that he isn’t on the roster either.
NFL teams are allowed a maximum of two early post-June 1 designations per offseason. That allows a team to spread the dead cap hit of a player across two years as opposed to taking it all in one.
The Jets used one on linebacker C.J. Mosley and one on quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
However, there is a loophole that teams can still take advantage of.
The Jets “could simply wait until June 1 to release Lazard and save more money — $11 million instead of $6.6 million,” Rosenblatt explained.
This would allow the Jets to see if they can find a reasonable replacement in the 2025 NFL draft. If they do, the Jets can cut Lazard during the summer. However, if they’re unable to find a sufficient replacement they could always bring him back as a last resort.
Another possibility is wherever Rodgers eventually lands in free agency could open up a trade opportunity. The Jets could hold onto Lazard, wait for Rodgers to sign with a team, then call up that club and send them Lazard to reunite with Rodgers.
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