FLOWERHAM PARK, NJ – The New York Jets secured one of their longtime wide receivers, Allen Lazard, in continuation of a trade for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Confirming a report to TheScore.com, a source told ESPN that the Jets and Lazard agreed to a four-year, $44 million contract. As of Tuesday evening both sides were still working through the final details.
This should please Rodgers, sources told ESPN’s Dianna Russini, as Lazard was one of the names on the free agent wish list submitted to the Jets.
Rodgers, meanwhile, will appear on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET, possibly with news on his playing future.
Lazard will be reunited with former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who holds the same position with the Jets. It could be a double reunion soon if the Jets and Packers can finalize a trade for Rodgers.
Lazard, who is 6-foot-5, steps into a receiving corps that includes Garrett Wilson, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and slot receiver Elijah Moore. His arrival is fueling speculation that the Jets could part ways with Corey Davis, who has a $10.5 million non-guaranteed salary in the final year of a three-year, $37.5 million contract. If he is released or traded, the entire $10.5 million would come out of the cap.
The Jets have already released backup slot receiver Braxton Berrios (saving $5 million), leaving Denzel Mims as the top backup outside. He is expected to be interested in free agent receiver Randall Cobb, another longtime Rodgers teammate.
Lazard went into the Packers’ de facto No. 1 receiver last season after the team traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. Although he did not put up massive numbers, Lazard set career highs in catches (60) and receiving yards (788) while adding six touchdowns (the second most of his career).
Lazard, 27, played last season on a restricted free agent tender worth $3.96 million. It was the first time in his career that he made more than the league minimum. He entered the NFL in 2018 as an undrafted free agent with the Jaguars. The Packers signed him late in the 2018 season from Jacksonville’s practice squad.
He has been a productive third-down receiver over the past four seasons with 52 catches for 842 yards on such lows. 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.
He is also known for blocking in both the run and pass game – earning him the nickname “The Punk” from his coaches.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Rob Demowski contributed to this report.
