Dec 25, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou (28) tackles Green Bay Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard (13) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Jets have officially gotten active in free agency. Per a report just now from Jordan Schultz of theScore, the Jets have signed wide receiver, Allen Lazard. Perhaps, one step closer to finally landing Aaron Rodgers.
Lazard’s contract is for four years, worth $44 million with $22 million in guarantees.
Lazard has played five years in the NFL and turned 27 years old in December. He is a fairly young player who should be in his prime years. Lazard signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He was with the Jaguars on their practice squad until late December of his rookie year when the Green Bay Packers signed him. Lazard went on to spend four whole years with the Packers, where he played in 57 games.
Lazard offers the Jets a ton of size, listed at 6-foot-5, 227 pounds, with 32 1/4″ arm length and 9 3/4″ hands. Athletically, Lazard has some explosiveness, as shown by his 38″ vertical and 124″ broad jump. His speed is relatively average (4.55 40-yard dash and 1.58 10-yard split).
In three of the last four years, Lazard has proven to be consistently available. He played in all 16 games for the Packers in 2019. Lazard played in 15 games in each of the past two years with the Packers.
For his career, Lazard has 259 targets, 169 catches (65.3% catch rate), 2,236 receiving yards (13.2 yards per catch), and 20 touchdowns. Over each of the last four years, Lazard has recorded at least 33 catches, 451 yards, and three touchdowns.
His best year from a production standpoint was, by far, 2022. Lazard saw 100 targets (second-most is 60), catching 60 passes for 788 yards (13.1 yards per catch) with six touchdowns. He had one game over 100 yards (116) and another seven games in which he went over 50 yards. In more than half of the 15 games Lazard played (eight), he went over 50 receiving yards. He also had five catches go for 32 yards or more.
Another area specifically that Lazard will help the Jets’ offense with is his ability to score touchdowns. He posted eight touchdowns in 2021 and six in 2022. Over the last two years, in 30 games played, 14 touchdowns, basically one in every two games.
The final strength of Lazard’s game worth noting is his dominant run blocking. He uses his big frame to his advantage and plays with a ton of physicality. Lazard is one of the best run-blocking wide receivers in the NFL and will offer the Jets some nice versatility in this regard.
There is much to be excited about with the Lazard signing for the Jets. They needed a starting wide receiver, and Lazard was one of the best free agents at the position on the free agent market. Lazard has proven to be durable in three of the last four seasons. His size and physicality make him an asset to the Jets’ offense as both a possession receiver and run blocker. Lastly, knowing the Jets struggled last year to finish drives, Lazard will be a big help with his ability to score touchdowns.
This post was published on 2023-03-14 16:26
