Roughly one month before the Pittsburgh Steelers confirmed on Thursday evening that they plan to sign free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a one-year contract, multiple reporters suggested that Pittsburgh could be interested in reuniting Rodgers with New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard.
On Friday, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported that Lazard may not be all that keen on following Rodgers this time around.
"Per a source with knowledge of Lazard’s thinking," Florio wrote, "he sees a very real potential benefit to proving his ability to function at an acceptable level without Rodgers as his quarterback. With the Jets planning a run-heavy offense under new coach Aaron Glenn and new quarterback Justin Fields, there’s a premium on receiver blocking. At six feet, five inches and 225 pounds, Lazard fits that role perfectly."
Lazard slashed his 2025 salary ahead of this year's draft to stay with the Jets, but some assumed he'd eventually want to continue sharing a locker room with Rodgers. The two were first teammates with the Green Bay Packers from 2018 to 2022, and Lazard later signed a four-year contract worth up to $44M with $22M guaranteed to join the Jets shortly before Gang Green acquired Rodgers via a trade with the Packers in the spring of 2023.
That said, Lazard more often than not left much to be desired with his play as a Jets target after Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles tendon four offensive snaps into the 2023 regular season. Lazard recorded just 23 receptions for 311 yards and one touchdown in his first campaign with the Jets. While Rodgers started every game for New York this past season, Lazard finished Week 18 with a total of just 37 catches for 530 yards and six scores.
"Lazard, at the end of the day, may prefer to make his own path, especially since he hopes to continue his career beyond 2025," Florio added about the 29-year-old. "He has a much better chance of doing that if he can take advantage of his opportunity with the Jets to prove that he can thrive without Rodgers as his quarterback."
Previous stories noted that Green Bay's Romeo Doubs, who also has experience catching passes thrown by Rodgers during games, could be targeted by the Steelers before training camp practices get underway in July. Perhaps Pittsburgh will prefer to pursue Doubs if Lazard truly wants "to make his own path" as a member of the 2025 Jets.
