The Pittsburgh Steelers traded their best wide receiver, George Pickens, to the Dallas Cowboys Monday morning, but another deal may be in the works that could affect both a current Jets player and a former one.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard is a potential trade candidate to replace Pickens. On Wednesday, Florio said Lazard is “in play” for the Steelers—another sign that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is expected to sign with the team.
“Why Lazard? Because Rodgers completely and totally trusts him,” Florio said. “Lazard, for whatever reason, performs much better with Rodgers than he does without him. At one point during his first year in New York, during Rodgers’ season-long injury absence, Lazard became a healthy scratch.”
Florio added that Rodgers could wait to sign with the Steelers until after the schedule is announced on May 14 to help the team avoid playing more primetime games.
Lazard, who spent five seasons with Rodgers on the Green Bay Packers, signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Jets in 2023—$22 million of which was guaranteed—to reunite with the quarterback.
However, his production has not matched his contract. In 2023, he caught 23 passes for 311 yards and one touchdown in 12 games. He showed only slight improvement in 2024, finishing with 37 catches for 530 yards and six touchdowns. Lazard agreed to a reworked contract for 2025, with Over The Cap reporting that he will count $4.6 million against the salary cap and retain only $1.75 million in guarantees—a reduction of $8.5 million.
The Steelers have long been rumored to sign Rodgers. After the Cleveland Browns added Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco—and after the Minnesota Vikings said they were willing to go with J.J. McCarthy as their starter—Rodgers faced the choice of playing for Pittsburgh or retiring.
