There’s no denying that the 2023 NFL season is one that Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard would rather forget.
After signing with Gang Green as a free agent, inconsistent play and too many drops led to the receiver being a healthy scratch. Add to that the fact that he was reportedly shopped this offseason and he was already being written off as a free agent bust.
But could Lazard, along with the rest of the Jets offense, be on the verge of a resurgence with Aaron Rodgers back under center?
Sure, it’s only a couple of practices, but if you’ve been keeping up with our camp reports, you will have seen Lazard made more plays in two days than he seemed to make all of last season. A diving catch over the middle kicked off day one, and then on days one and two, Lazard ended each session with a touchdown grab.
While it would be silly to expect too much based off of only two practices, it’s important to keep in mind that Lazard isn’t an unproven rookie or journeyman receiver who has never been productive as a pro. After hall, he did rack up 100 receptions for 1,301 yards and 14 touchdowns over his final two seasons with the Packers, putting up a career high 788 yards in 2022.
Should Allen Lazard find his way back to being a reliable pass catcher for Rodgers who knows the offense as well as any receiver on the roster, it could offer a huge boost to a Jets offense that has the potential to be one of the best in team history, but still has some lingering questions.