Report: Lazard Could Be Headed to Jets

Allen Lazard, who was the Green Bay Packers’ leading receiver last season, is in talks to join Nathaniel Hackett (and Aaron Rodgers?) with the Jets.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
Mar 14, 2023 9:06 AM EDT
Original:
Mar 14, 2023

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Perhaps setting the stage to acquire Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets are working toward a deal with Green Bay Packers receiver Allen Lazard, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday morning.

Lazard might not have met outside expectations – expectations fueled by Rodgers’ proclamation of Lazard as a No. 1 – but he still had a solid season in a leading role following the trade of Davante Adams. Lazard led the Packers with 60 receptions for 788 yards and was second with six touchdowns.

As expected, life was more difficult for Lazard as he was the focal point of opposing defenses.

In 2020, Lazard caught 71.7 percent of targeted passes and averaged 9.8 yards per target. In 2021, he caught 66.7 percent of targeted passes and averaged 8.6 yards per target. With Adams playing with the Raiders in 2022, those numbers fell to 60.0 percent and 7.9 yards per target.

Lazard wouldn’t have to carry the load in New York, though. Garrett Wilson is the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. That could slip Lazard into more of a complementary role – one in which Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has plenty of familiarity.

Lazard mentioned Hackett during a recent interview on SiriusXM Radio.

“I’ve been very spoiled the past four, five years to be in the Packers organization,” he said. “I think they’re obviously a first-class organization with how they go about the relationship with the fans, how they treat their players – just the whole experience there.

“Having Coach (Matt) LaFleur and (former offensive coordinator) Nathaniel Hackett the past few years and obviously having Aaron (Rodgers) as the quarterback, I’m almost bougie, I feel like, into what I’m going to be wanting from another organization because I have such high expectations. That’s only because I’ve seen that and I’ve experienced that. I think the record – minus last year – shows you how they’re able to have that much success.”

With Hackett and Rodgers, the Jets would be an attractive landing spot. On a recent edition of The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers listed Lazard among the veterans he considers “guys you can win with.”

Packers coach Matt LaFleur fondly called Lazard his "goon" for his love of doing the dirty work. He is one of the best blockers at the position and helped fuel a potent perimeter run game. Famously, against Miami late in 2022, he knocked three Dolphins defenders to the turf.

“In our system, we typically have Davante over there on the left side, a lot of times by himself to do 1-on-1s,” receivers coach Jason Vrable said in 2021. “Well, the receiver over there opposite is usually by the tight end. A lot of times, you have the running game, safeties get down over the top of the tight end. You’ve got to make, I always call it a conscious decision.

“If there’s a guy 5 yards over the top of me who’s barrelling down full speed, there’s some guys in this league who turn that thing down. And I can’t find many times on tape over the three-year period where he wasn’t going to try and take that guy and manhandle him and win his 1-on-1s. And it’s usually a collision – and it’s sometimes a violent one – where I feel like that guy doesn’t blink. Literally, he stares at the guy, looks him in the eye and goes in and puts his hands in his shoulder pads, and he’s coming back for the next play.”

No receivers agreed to contracts on Day 1 of free agency. Lazard is one of the best in a weak group of free agents. As such, he was expected to get a contract worth in excess of $10 million per season.

Last offseason, Marquez Valdes-Scantling jumped from the Packers to the Chiefs for $10 million per season. The Packers collected a fifth-round compensatory pick for that departure last week.

“I think all players wish to be in this position at some point in their career,” Lazard said on Sirius. “Having played a good season and having the option to play wherever you truly desire, I’m definitely excited to hear and see all the teams that will be interested and to see what the best option is.”

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine that he’d like to have a veteran receiver to help lead an incredibly young group. If Lazard leaves, the last internal candidate would be Randall Cobb. Cobb had surgery recently but intends to play in 2023.