Allen Lazard was intrigued by the Jets even before the Aaron Rodgers decision
Allen Lazard believes the Jets and their fan base should start expecting deep playoff runs and a Super Bowl once Aaron Rodgers becomes their quarterback.
The Jets officially signed the wide receiver to a four-year, $44 million contract on Friday. They’re still working on a trade with the Packers for Rodgers, who said Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” that his “intention” is to play for the Jets.
“With Aaron Rodgers as quarterback, the possibility of winning is always a thing,” Lazard said during a Friday call with reporters. “With that being said, it’s really the Super Bowl. Especially at the point of his career, his ability, four-time MVP winner, won back-to-back MVPs, his caliber of play automatically elevates everybody’s potential and abilities on the field immediately.We have high expectations.”
Lazard was Rodgers’ favorite target with Green Bay last season. The receiver said he decided to leave Green Bay before he knew what Rodgers was doing.
Of course, Lazard had an idea. Yet he swears his future wasn’t tied to Rodgers and he had his own reasons for coming to the Jets.
Lazard, 27, who is from Iowa and spent five seasons with Green Bay, wanted to play in a big city. Reuniting with new Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who held the same title for three years with Green Bay, and playing for Jets coach Robert Saleh also were attractive.
Continuing to play with Rodgers will be an added bonus for Lazard.
“Standing here today,” he said, “it feels good knowing that 12’s going to be my quarterback again.”
Lazard was signed as an undrafted free agent to Jacksonville’s practice squad in 2018. He ended that year with Green Bay. In the next four years, the 6-5 Lazard caught 168 passes for 2,229 yards and 20 touchdowns. Last season, he set career highs with 60 grabs for 788 yards and scored six touchdowns.
Lazard said his relationship with Rodgers is “phenomenal” and that the quarterback has always gone out of his way for him.“He stood up on a table for me during training camp when I probably didn’t deserve to make the roster, at least in the front office’s eyes,” he said. “He called for me to be in the game. He’s relied on me in a lot of heavy pressure situations.He’s always believed in me.
“There was inclination that he’s coming here, but after the last game in the locker room, I mentioned how I got to kind of worry about myself and take care what’s best for me and I can’t worry about other people. Me and my decision coming here was purely based off of that and making sure that I’m doing what’s best for my career. Him being here definitely helps the entire organization be able to take that next step that they need to to make a deep playoff run and go win that Lombardi Trophy.”
When Rodgers met with Jets officials last week in Malibu, he spoke highly of Lazard. It was reported that Lazard was on a wish list of players that Rodgers submitted to the Jets. Rodgers said he never made any such list and that the Jets asked him about certain players.
"I think objectively a lot of people can look at Allen Lazard and go, ‘He’s a really good player, we would love to have him on our team,' ” Rodgers said. “And then anyone with a brain would maybe call me and go, ‘Hey, what kind of locker room guy is Allen Lazard? What’s his work ethic like?’ I’d say, ‘He’s a [expletive] great dude. Anybody would be lucky to have him in the locker room.’”
The arrival of Lazard likely means Corey Davis’ time with the Jets is over. If he’s not sent to Green Bay in the Rodgers trade, the Jets probably will release Davis and clear his $10.5 million salary from their cap.
Lazard’s transition should be easy because he knows Hackett’s system. He gives the Jets a big receiver on the outside who will complement Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore and is a good run blocker. Lazard said the Jets’ receiving room is “explosive” and he likes the leadership role the coaches laid out for him with this young group.
“I have a lot of experience in prime-time games, playoff games, and that’s something that hasn’t really happened here in recent history,” Lazard said. “To have that experience, to have that knowledge and to be able to kind of mentor the younger guys and to be a pillar in the locker room, just a lot of things that really intrigued me about this spot and knowing the potential that we could really go the distance this year.”
Jets add punter, O-lineman
The Jets are signing punter Thomas Morstead, he announced on his Twitter page. He spent seven games with the Jets in 2021 when Braden Mann was injured. Morstead, a former longtime Saint, was the Dolphins’ punter last year. The Jets reportedly are trying to trade Mann . . . The Jets also will sign former Ravens offensive lineman Trystan Colon, a source said. Colon played center and guard in three seasons with Baltimore, appearing in 20 games, including four starts.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
