Oh boy, where to start? So, Allen Lazard is like that one guy at a party who, despite everyone predicting his grand exit, just sticks around a little longer. Jets fans might’ve braced for goodbye, but hang on—he’s still with us. At least for the moment. Anyway—geez, I almost forgot—this whole scenario unfolded thanks to some nitty-gritty financial reshuffling.
Over The Cap spilled the beans: Lazard’s taken an $8.5 million pay cut. Yup, it’s like trying to buy a top-shelf margarita and getting a discount coupon instead. He was supposed to earn $11 million in the golden year of 2025, but nah, that’s out the window. Now, he’s looking at $1.75 million guaranteed and a base of $2.25 million. I mean, not pocket change, but for NFL standards, might as well be.
So, if you’ve got your calendar—like anyone uses those anymore—Lazard’s free agent debut is on the books for 2026. Darren Mougey, the Jets’ big shot GM, whispered about the “hope” of keeping Lazard under this new deal during last week’s NFL gathering. Hope. Sounds like they crossed fingers, toes, and maybe an eye or two.
Flashback to 2023. Good ol’ Lazard snags a meaty four-year, $44 million deal because the Jets were in their “Let’s make Aaron Rodgers happy” phase. You know that phase—like when you try to woo a friend by inviting their whole crew. But guess what? Rodgers has packed his bags, and the Jets were cleaning house, thinking about letting go of his pals. Like sweeping out ex’s stuff after a messy breakup.
Lazard’s agent, poor soul, was out there in March hustling for a trade. But nada! No bites. No nibbles. Trade market was drier than that turkey I tried to cook last Thanksgiving. Now, with the shuffled contract, moving Lazard doesn’t seem far-fetched. If Rodgers heads to the Steelers, you might see Lazard tagging along in a cute bromantic twist. If not, he might stick around as a third or fourth catching buddy.
Now, let’s talk performance—Lazard had what some might call a rollercoaster 2023. But with a bounce-back in 2024? Not too shabby until he caught the injury bug. He racked up 37 catches for 530 yards and, wait for it, six touchdowns in just 12 games. Solid deal at two million bucks, right?
His price tag on the Jets’ spreadsheet is now a snug $4.6 million, down from a lofty $13.2 million. I mean, for that kind of dough, he could be a sneaky good addition. So there he is, sticking with the Jets as this saga of salary and strategy plays on… for now. Who knows? Depends on how the winds—and salaries—shift next.
