While the Jets are midway through a wildly disappointing (thus far, at least) season, Allen Lazard has bounced back. Productive thus far in his second Jets campaign, the multi-city Aaron Rodgers target will see that stretch pause.
The Jets are moving Lazard to IR because of a chest injury, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. As this will sideline Lazard for at least four games, it will be interesting to see if it affects the Jets’ interest in trading Mike Williams before the Nov. 5 deadline.
Lazard is tied to a four-year, $44MM deal that featured $22MM guaranteed at signing. The Jets have done plenty to appease Rodgers, having added three of his former Packers pass catchers (Lazard, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams). Lazard was the first of those to arrive, having communicated with his four-year Packers teammate about playing for the Jets together. That coordinated effort preceded Rodgers’ Achilles tear four plays into last season, and Lazard bottomed out, drifting to healthy-scratch status at a point and finishing with just 311 receiving yards.
This year, Lazard already has compiled 420 yards and scored five touchdowns. Receiving the most guaranteed money of any receiver in last year’s FA class, Lazard has not justified his contract. But he has moved back to being a useful player alongside Rodgers, as opposed to a borderline sunk cost in a Zach Wilson-centered offense. Two nonguaranteed years remain on Lazard’s deal.
Williams has come up as a trade chip since the Jets’ Adams pursuit, with that effort beginning in earnest upon the intra-AFC trade being completed. Williams has struggled mightily in New York, posting only 160 yards on 11 receptions though eight games. Williams, 30, may still be moved. But with this Jets regime on thin ice, it would also make sense if the team now stood pat at receiver to see if the former Chargers 1,000-yard weapon could be useful as a WR3 alongside Adams and Garrett Wilson. The Jets will deploy Williams once again tonight and have until Tuesday to decide about moving on.
Additionally, the Jets have chosen their Greg Zuerlein fill-in. Riley Patterson will be elevated for tonight’s Texans matchup, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. By far the more experienced of the two kickers Gang Green added to its practice squad (Spencer Shrader being the other), Patterson will have another chance after being waived twice — by the Jaguars and Commanders — this year.
Patterson served as the Jaguars’ kicker throughout the 2022 season and was the Lions’ top option for most of the ’23 slate. The Lions cut Patterson for a second time, however, pivoting to Michael Badgley in-season. Patterson caught on with the Jags via reserve/futures deal but ended up waived — following the team’s Cam Little sixth-round selection — and then washing out of Washington after a shaky preseason. Patterson has kicked in 39 career games; he made 15 of 17 field goals last season. Zuerlein, who is on IR with a knee injury, is just 9-for-15 this year.
The “hits” just keep on coming for the NYJ.
Dang lol cant catch a break. Makes the Adams trade more valuable tho, at least
Lazard was smart enough to be BFF with Aaron. He made his family a lot of money.
Hard not to injure your chest when passes are always bouncing off it.
22 million guaranteed for Allen Lazard. Let that sink in.
In his defense Lazard was typically the only WR catching touch down passes….I guess those scrubs Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams need to step and fill his shoes lol