Allen Lazard Brings Stability to the Jets’ Wide Receivers

The Jets have clear and present needs, but the signing of Allen Lazard brings stability to the Jets’ wide receivers — as Braxton Berrios was cut, and Corey Davis is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

Amid the Aaron Rodgers situation, the NFL’s new league year officially began with the start of free agency. Even without having their (potential) new quarterback on the roster, the Jets needed to make additions to a roster with some remaining positions of need.

The Jets were able to shore up the receiver room relatively quickly, though, as the team signed former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard to a deal. The deal, in total, is for $44 million over four years and has an AAV of $11 million. Yet, the guaranteed portion is for two years and $22 million, as the Jets would be able to get out of the contract in 2025 with a $6.5 million dead cap hit.

Lazard, undrafted out of Iowa State in 2018, spent the first five seasons of his NFL career in Green Bay after being signed off the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad. In 57 games played, Lazard has 169 receptions for 2,236 yards and 20 touchdowns. He has a 12.3 average depth of the target, or ADOT, in his career while also having 8.6 receiving yards per target total.

In looking at Lazard, who stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 227 pounds, it is clear he is being brought in to fill the Corey Davis role. With his above-average frame, Lazard is a reliable blocker wherever he lines up on the field. According to PFF, Lazard has graded out as a positive run blocker in three of his four seasons, highlighted by 81.9 and 82.5 grades in 2019 and 2020, respectively. In the Jets’ offense, Lazard can fill Davis’s role as a key blocker on outside runs and possibly offer more on the interior, inside zone runs.

In addition to blocking, Lazard adds a possession and third down threat for the Jets. According to PFF, Lazard was an above-average receiver at all three levels of the field but was at his best in the short and deep areas of the field. He had three touchdowns at both areas of the field and only had two drops in 69 combined targets. In addition, Lazard had nine total contested catches in these areas of the field, showing the benefit his stature brings to an offense.

Allen Lazard Brings Stability to the Jets’ Wide Receivers

On third downs, Lazard has been crucial in keeping drives alive for the offense. According to ESPN, Lazard has “52 catches for 842 yards on such downs over the past four seasons. His average of 16.2 yards per third-down catch ranked sixth among NFL players with at least 40 third-down catches in that span.”

Lazard also has familiarity with the Jets’ new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and likely quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers was Lazard’s quarterback for all five of his seasons in Green Bay, while Hackett was Lazard’s offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021.

Lazard spoke about Hackett’s role in convincing him to come to the Jets in his press conference last week. Lazard said that being with Hackett and his rapport with him was “some of the funniest times” he has had with football, which ultimately was one of the main factors of his decision.

Lazard also spoke about what it is like playing in Hackett’s offense.

“Fun, easy. He’s the best teacher I’ve ever had in my life… He just makes learning fun. That’s the biggest thing I feel like when it comes to NFL offense and defense because it’s so intricate, so complicated, there are so many rules, so many things that you have to be able to improv in real-life time. You need to be able to be fluent in that language, and I think he does a really good job at teaching that. He makes it really easy and he allows you to go out there, just play fast, and not think.”

When asked about Rodgers, Lazard said that the quarterback is “a big reason why he is here today” and that Rodgers “always believed in him.” Lazard also said, “it feels good knowing 12 is going to be my quarterback again.”

Adding onto a receiver room of Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore, Lazard should have an opportunity to produce right away in the mold of a number 3 wide receiver. Lazard’s contested catch and possession ability should have a better chance to shine again in New York without needing to be the center of the offense. Furthermore, his blocking will allow the running game to work to its abilities and allow the Jets’ offense to reach its potential.

One addition does not make the entire off-season a success. Yet, the addition of Lazard gives the Jets a talented receiver to replace Corey Davis and ensure that the Jets have a full array of targets for their new-look offense under soon-to-be quarterback Aaron Rodgers.