divisive big-money A free agent who wants to stick with the green and white is the New York Jets.
“I came here with the intention of retiring a Jet,” Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard told Rich Cimini of ESPN. “I wanted to break the [playoff] drought, be a part of the change, and be a part of something historic here.”
Lazard inked a $44 million contract with the Jets in the 2023 offseason, and he still has two years left on it.
A Difficult Jets Tenure Lazard, 29, has endured two inconsistent seasons with the Jets.
He was meant to play the Robin in Garrett Wilson’s Batman, and he accepted a lucrative contract. But Lazard fell short of expectations.
Four snaps into their first season together on the Jets, Lazard lost Aaron Rodgers, his old colleague from the Green Bay Packers.
Lazard suffered mentally during the 2023 campaign as a result of that defeat. With only 23 receptions for 311 receiving yards and one touchdown, he had the poorest season of his professional career.
The coaching staff questioned his lack of a “edge” and made him a healthy scratch at the end of the season since things went so badly.
Whoa… After the #Dolphins game, #Jets head coach Robert Saleh formally placed wide receiver Allen Lazard on notice in an interview with @JosinaAnderson:
He will be here for the next year and a half, so it was obviously my decision to make him a healthy scratch. 🧐 Lazard agreed to a $44 million, four-year contract. PzCXDdIWRl is the picture on Twitter.
— November 24, 2023, Paul Andrew Esden Jr. (@BoyGreen25)
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Lazard recovered well from the previous season. He finished with six touchdowns and 37 catches for 530 receiving yards.
Before Wilson finally overtook him, Lazard led the Jets in touchdown receptions for the majority of the season.
But for Lazard, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses.
According to Ian Hartitz of Fantasy Life, he had the NFL’s highest drop percentage in the end (19%).
The Jets are probably going to need to completely revamp the wide receiver room.
Lazard may wish to remain with the Jets, but it may not be reciprocated.
Lazard’s only hope of staying is if Rodgers returns in 2025, which is not likely to happen. Lazard may still be forced out even if Rodgers returns.
This offseason, Lazard’s contract is open to the Jets. The Jets will only have to pay $6.5 million in dead cap if they decide to move on.
When you looked at the guarantees, you discovered that the contract was actually a two-year agreement for $22 million, even though it appeared to be a four-year agreement for $44 million.
These contract outs are frequently discussed by those outside the facility. Teams and their workers usually don’t talk about those specifics in public.
But in November 2023, head coach Robert Saleh made the mistake of stating that Lazard “is going to be here for a long ti… for the next year and a half.”
That was an interesting remark that gained a lot of attention on social media. Despite what his contract might indicate, Saleh was stating aloud that Lazard wasn’t long for New York.
Saleh may have been hinting at what would happen with Lazard, even though he is no longer with the Jets.