Allen Lazard came to the New York Jets with a big contract and high expectations. He's leaving after almost three disappointing seasons.
The Jets released the veteran wide receiver on Tuesday, cutting ties with Lazard after his role diminished significantly this season even as the offense struggled to produce. With three games left in the regular season, the 30-year-old will be able to sign elsewhere.
Lazard had only 10 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown
this season while playing in just 10 games after he was buried on the depth chart.
Lazard came to the Jets as one of the team’s biggest offseason moves in 2023, signing a four-year, $44 million contract — a month before he was reunited with Aaron Rodgers, his former quarterback in Green Bay who was acquired in a trade by New York.
The two showed instant chemistry in training camp that summer, but the connection never materialized in the regular season when Rodgers was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. Lazard finished with 23 catches for 311 yards and a touchdown in 14 games.
With Rodgers back, Lazard was a bit more productive last season, with 37 receptions for 530 yards and six scores in 12 games, but never quite made the impact the Jets expected.
Rodgers was released by the Jets in the offseason after Aaron Glenn took over as coach and Lazard agreed to restructure his contract to remain on the team. But he didn’t have a role in new coordinator Tanner Engstrand’s offense this season, even though New York was in desperate need of a playmaker with Justin Fields struggling as the starting quarterback.
Lazard is regarded as an excellent blocker, but he also had a reputation for dropping passes — something that hurt him at times with the Jets. Top wide receiver Garrett Wilson has been on injured reserve since last month with a knee injury, but that didn't boost Lazard's opportunities. Instead, Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie III — both acquired before the trade deadline last month — have emerged as regulars in the offense.
Lazard joined Jacksonville in 2018 as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa State and was signed later that season by Green Bay off the Jaguars' practice squad. He gradually became a trusted target of Rodgers in their five seasons together with the Packers. Lazard had career highs with 60 catches and 788 yards receiving in 2022 before signing with the Jets as a free agent.
The Jets also announced they released quarterback Adrian Martinez from the practice squad, a sign that perhaps Tyrod Taylor (groin) or Justin Fields (knee) could be close to returning from injuries.
Undrafted rookie Brady Cook got his first NFL start last Sunday at Jacksonville, a 48-20 loss, because of the injuries to Taylor and Fields. Taylor had replaced the benched Fields as the starter for three games before being injured.
Cook was 22 of 33 for 176 yards and one touchdown with three interceptions. Martinez, who was re-signed last week to the practice squad, was Cook's backup and didn't play.
The Jets signed linebacker Ochaun Mathis to take Martinez's spot on the practice squad.
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