Packers Give Second-Round Tender to Lazard
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GREEN BAY – As expected, the Green Bay Packers placed the second-round tender on restricted free agent receiver Allen Lazard, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
The tag will cost the Packers $3.986 million, which immediately goes on the salary cap. The re-signing of linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and the extension for quarterback Aaron Rodgers left the Packers about $3.7 million over the salary cap, according to OverTheCap.com. Adding Lazard, who replaces a minimum-salary player on the team’s cap (which is based on the top 51 players during the offseason), would put Green Bay at about $6.97 million over the cap. Releasing Randall Cobb would save about $6.75 million.
So, given some possible differences with the official numbers, the Packers are right tight against the cap with Wednesday’s 3 p.m. deadline looming.
Lazard can shop himself around the league until April 22. If he were to sign a contract with another team, the Packers can match it to retain him, or they can let him go and get a second-round pick in exchange.
Presumably, the Packers and Lazard at some point will renegotiate the deal. Last offseason, the Packers added void years to the restricted tenders signed by tight end Robert Tonyan and cornerback Chandon Sullivan to reduce the cap charge. Or, the two sides could work toward a longer-term extension.
Lazard is a terrific role player. In the passing game, he caught 40 passes for 513 yards and eight touchdowns. He finished with a flourish. Over the final five games of the regular season, he caught 21 passes for 290 yards and five touchdowns. More than just a receiver, Lazard is ready, willing and able to do the dirty work as a blocker on running plays and screens. The running game was 0.21 yards better per play when he was on the field.
“I like to call him our goon, and he’s an enforcer,” coach Matt LaFleur said this season.
“In the run game, you can really feel his presence,” LaFleur said. “But that also helps create some big-time plays in the passing game when he’s going in and he’s digging out safeties, just like you saw last year in the playoff game vs. the Rams. That was one of the longest plays they had given up all season long. So, he’s got that big-play potential.”
That showed up this season. Lazard caught 5-of-10 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus. By comparison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling 6-of-22 deep targets.
Lazard figures to have a bigger role in 2022. With the team running out of money, it seems likely that Valdes-Scantling will leave in free agency.
Packers WR Allen Lazard vs. Lions
