In Palm Beach, Florida, there’s a buzz surrounding Allen Lazard and the New York Jets. Despite widespread speculation about his possible departure, fans of the team shouldn’t count him out just yet.
Jets’ GM Darren Mougey shed some light on the situation this Sunday, revealing that the team is in the midst of renegotiating Lazard’s contract. Although many anticipated Lazard’s release, Mougey clarified their intentions by stating, “We’re working through that right now.” When asked to elaborate, he confirmed that the discussions are about restructuring the current deal. Mougey emphasized their interest in keeping Lazard on the roster, saying, “That’s the hope. We’ll work through that.”
Currently, Lazard is two years into a four-year, $44 million dollar contract he signed in 2023, which includes a $13.2 million salary cap hit for this season. He joined the Jets just before the team brought in Aaron Rodgers last year, a move that reunited the former Packers teammates. This was largely seen as an attempt to ease Rodgers’ transition to the Jets. However, with Rodgers now out of the equation, many thought Lazard might follow suit. Yet, despite receiving permission to seek a trade, no deals have materialized.
Looking ahead, Mougey stated that any contract extensions will likely be addressed post-NFL draft. Notably, Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner, both first-round picks in 2022, are expected to pursue extensions this offseason. Similarly, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Quincy Williams could also explore extension options as they approach the final years of their contracts.
Regarding extensions, Mougey remarked, “There’s been a lot of talk about that. We have several players whether it’s early extensions or just players we can extend in the last year. Those are good problems to have. We’re having those discussions and those are good discussions to have but right now my focus is on the draft. Once we get through the draft, we’ll talk about potential extensions for whoever that may be.”
As for player roles, Mougey confirmed that Vera-Tucker will continue at guard, though he praised his versatility to play tackle. Additionally, Josh Myers, a new free agent signing, will compete with Joe Tippmann for the center position.
In the midst of these ongoing negotiations and strategic decisions, it’s clear that the Jets are thoughtfully building a roster that’s balanced with both seasoned talent and promising newcomers.
