Over the next few weeks, the New York Jets will get a more defined look at their roster. Training camp battles and preseason games should give head coach Aaron Glenn a better idea of who will make the eventual 53-man group.
At the wide receiver spot, veteran Allen Lazard is expected to be among those who make it through. Despite that, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report isn’t totally sold. In fact, he’s pushing for the Jets to part ways with the 29-year-old.
In a story listing one trade block candidate for each NFL team, Knox has Lazard primed to be moved by New York this preseason.
Analyst Pushes Jets to Part Ways With Allen Lazard
While Knox does believe Lazard is “capable of contributing this season,” he also thinks the Jets should prioritize production beyond 2025-26.
“The reality is Lazard was added to complement former quarterback Aaron Rodgers,” Knox wrote. “Even with a healthy Rodgers behind center last season, Lazard was more good than great, finishing with 37 catches for 530 yards and six touchdowns. With Justin Fields coming in at quarterback, Lazard has no preexisting chemistry on which to rely. He could still carve out a role behind Garrett Wilson, free-agent addition Josh Reynolds and rookie Arian Smith. However, the 29-year-old is reportedly struggling to make an impression.”
This conversation is made only more intriguing by Lazard’s arc with the Jets earlier this year. Back in April, he and the team came to terms on a new contract that saw him take a significant pay cut. Under the revised deal, Lazard’s guaranteed money is down to just $1.75 million for 2025-26. He’ll hit the open market next offseason as opposed to doing so in 2027, too.
In the event of a trade, Knox notes that Lazard would save the Jets $2.4M against the salary cap. That stems from his $2.25M base salary and per-game roster bonuses for the year. Dealing with his financial hit is no longer the daunting task it was when folks looked at the late-year ramifications of what was originally a $44M pact.
It wouldn’t cost the Jets much to move on from Lazard. It also wouldn’t doom the receiving team in the event of a hypothetical trade.
Aaron Glenn Finds ‘Value’ in Keeping Lazard Around
New York simply doesn’t believe that makes sense, though. Speaking to the media following an August 6 training camp practice, Glenn praised Lazard. He knows the Jets made a conscious choice to retain him instead of parting ways. Heck, the latter sure seemed likely in the offseason.
Lazard brings multiple valuable traits to the table, according to his head coach.
“I remember playing against Lazard when I was in New Orleans,” Glenn said. “We played Green Bay quite a bit. He made a number of plays against us, so that’s what I remember and that’s what I saw. Listen, he’s a good player. He’s a big slot, he can block. He’s able to catch balls in traffic and make plays. You don’t just let guys walk out the building like that. I know sometimes it happens but if you can keep a guy like that, get him bought into what we’re trying to do, which he is, there’s value. There’s value in his leadership and the years he’s been in the league with some of the young guys we have.”
Even without Rodgers in the fold, the Jets can find a role for Lazard. In just 12 games last season, he hauled in 37 passes for 530 yards and 6 touchdowns. His 14.3 yards per reception mark was the largest of his seven-year career. Advanced stats from Pro Football Focus didn’t love him, as he ranked 81st out of 98 wideouts in overall grade. With that said, he was 27th in passer rating when targeted.
With his 30th birthday approaching, Lazard is capable of operating on the outside of the formation (career 59.1% alignment) but can also work out of the slot (38.0). Last year’s respective percentages of 59.9 and 38.6 were almost identical to his average splits. The Jets’ receiver room desperately needs as many veterans as it can handle right now. Glenn is right about that.
Talent-wise, Lazard is nothing special. Still, it’s worth riding out the last year of his deal unless a team approaches general manager Darren Mougey with a surprising offer.
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