Latest news with #AllenLazard
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
NFL Trade Rumors: Steelers projected to trade for $44M Jets WR Allen Lazard, Aaron Rodgers' favorite, to replace George Pickens
Steelers eye $44M Jets WR Allen Lazard to replace George Pickens (Image via: Getty Images) The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly moving quickly in NFL trade rumors, targeting Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard to fill the void left by George Pickens. With Pickens traded to the Cowboys in May, Pittsburgh needs a reliable boundary receiver opposite DK Metcalf. A trade for Aaron Rodgers ' favorite target in Lazard could be the strategic boost their passing game needs. Pittsburgh eyes veteran $44 million receiver Allen Lazard as ideal replacement for George Pickens in trade move According to For the Win's Cory Woodroof, the Steelers may not rely solely on free agency. Instead, the team is expected to trade a fifth‑round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for Lazard, a proven veteran with deep ties to quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Woodroof wrote, 'It just feels automatic at this point,' hinting at a likely agreement before the season. Lazard's connection with Rodgers is well‑documented. He spent five seasons in Green Bay, demonstrating reliable red‑zone presence and clutch performance. In 2023, Lazard followed Rodgers to New York, signing a four‑year, $44 million deal . That partnership brought consistency: Lazard posted 530 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games for the Jets last year, even without playing a full slate. Will Allen Lazard follow Aaron Rodgers to Pittsburgh Steelers? | Pro Football Talk | NFL on NBC Though not a traditional No. 2 receiver, Lazard's 6′5″ frame, polished route‑running, and red‑zone efficiency make him a valuable asset. His breakout season came in Green Bay in 2022: 60 receptions, 788 yards, and six touchdowns. In 2021, he tacked on eight touchdowns, reinforcing his status as a reliable target in scoring situations. The Steelers have struggled to fill Pickens' role: a boundary threat who stretches defenses. Lazard provides that dimension while offering immediate chemistry with Rodgers, even if Rodgers isn't under center in Pittsburgh. His veteran leadership and proven production could inject stability into a Steelers receiving corps that now lacks depth. Also Read: Exclusive: Joe Burrow reveals his love for fossils in Netflix's 'Quarterback' while gearing up for a major 2024 comeback This trade makes strategic sense. A Day‑3 pick is modest compensation for a player who can contribute right away. For the Steelers, this is about balancing risk and reward: adding a known, capable playmaker is far preferable to banking purely on unknown free agents or rookies. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jets Must Weigh Value of Trading Rogers' Pet to Steelers
Jets Must Weigh Value of Trading Rogers' Pet to Steelers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Jets are long removed from the Aaron Rodgers saga. ... and happily so. Two years of drama and disappointment bore no fruit for the franchise and they have turned the opposite way with new leadership and a new quarterback under center. Advertisement Meanwhile, Rodgers waited for months to choose his next career move. Once things became too painstakingly obvious, he finally signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Now the Steelers get their turn dealing with the Rodgers circus though they had few options elsewhere to find their QB1. If there is one thing to take away from the last few years of Rodgers' career without diving into the polarizing antics that come with him, he fervently enjoys playing with a familiar group of receivers. When he went to the Jets, the team surrounded him with a company of such players, including Davante Adams. Allen Lazard also falls into that category, having played with Rodgers on the Green Bay Packers before joining him in New York. Advertisement As the Rodgers saga dragged on there was a belief that his buddy could join him in the Steel City. However, that may not be the case as PFT's Mike Florio this offseason expressed the belief Lazard may want to go his own way and prove himself with the Jets. "Per a source with knowledge of Lazard's thinking, he sees a very real potential benefit to proving his ability to function at an acceptable level without Rodgers as his quarterback,'' Florio wrote. "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 6-5 and 225 pounds, Lazard fits that role perfectly." There are two components missing in this thinking, however. One, Lazard is under contract here. "Lazard's thinking'' should be immaterial. Advertisement Two, a "blocking receiver'' is hardly a commodity if a losing team can flip him for a pick. Rodgers can - and probably will ask - that his old pal land in Pittsburgh. But he's not the Jets' "unofficial assistant GM'' anymore. ... so his vote no longer counts in New York, either. Related: Breece Hall Offers Shocking Evaluation of Jets' 2025 'Ceiling' Related: All-Pro Receiver Issues Hard 'No' to Signing With Steelers This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Justin Fields' Jets Weapons Receive Horrifying Ranking
Justin Fields' Jets Weapons Receive Horrifying Ranking originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Jets offense under Tanner Engstrand hasn't gotten much love this offseason, with Justin Fields and his weapons not the flavour of the month. Advertisement But we are all basing it on what we "think" will happen, and with only Garrett Wilson as the consistent outlet, it could be tough sledding for the Jets offensively. And it appears that Kyle Long of NFL on CBS thinks so, too. In ranking all pass-catching units from 32 teams with the help of Mike Renner, the Jets' weapons come in the F tier. Yuck. Horrifying. 'The Jets, it's funny, Garrett Wilson, great receiver,' Long said. 'Allen Lazard, some drop issues, but a guy that is a big target, somebody that I think Justin Fields can lean on. But they're going to run the football a lot. So, I hope that they run the rock. It's an O-lineman's dream to play in that offense. You're not going to give up a lot of sacks. Let's just hope that Justin Fields and this receiving core can figure something out and Allen Lazard is not going to drop the ball.' Advertisement Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images Behind Wilson, it is Josh Reynolds and Lazard, both of whom haven't been high-stat getters over the past couple of seasons, and behind that duo are young, unproven players like Malachi Corley, Tyler Johnson, and Arian Smith. Yes, the Jets will be a run-first offense, with Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis, but Fields has to be able to complement that with a solid passing game, and Long isn't sure he has the weapons to do it. Of course, this is all a projection, and the proof will be when real NFL bullets are flying in the regular season, but New York's biggest red flag this offseason has been its receiver room. Advertisement And until they prove otherwise, many will doubt their ability to put up enough points to win enough games in 2025. Related: Sauce Speaks Out On Jets QB Justin Fields as Matchup Nightmare Related: Jets Urged To Trade for 15-TD Receiver from NFC Contender This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jets' Garrett Wilson-Led Receiver Room Keys Training Camp Watch List
Jets' Garrett Wilson-Led Receiver Room Keys Training Camp Watch List originally appeared on Athlon Sports. New York Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand knows who will be top of the receiver depth chart in 2025, but after that? Yeah, it's a lottery. Advertisement Garrett Wilson is the undisputed No. 1, and Josh Reynolds has been showing flashes and impressing at OTAs and minicamp to the point where ESPN's Rich Cimini has him at No. 2 with Allen Lazard as the third option. But that is a fluid depth chart, and we know training camp has a funny way of shaking it up, and with younger receivers Arian Smith, Malachi Corley, and Tyler Johnson all vying for reps, something's got to give. And for Pro Football Network, the receiver battle will be an interesting one. "Garrett Wilson will surely be the top wide receiver on the New York Jets in 2025," Pro Football Network writes. "However, with Davante Adams no longer on the roster, they have plenty of touches up for grabs in the passing game. Advertisement "Allen Lazard was the de facto WR3 in New York last year, though he's proven to be a lackluster starter. The Jets signed Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson in free agency, as well as selecting Arian Smith in Round 4 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Keep an eye on Malachi Corley, a third-round pick in 2024 who impressed in college but had just 42 total yards as a rookie." Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images So, who will be the one or ones to step up? With the Jets moving toward a more youthful offense, the hope is that Corley or Smith can show enough to potentially take away snaps from Lazard, who hasn't lived up to expectations since arriving. Advertisement The receiver position is most people's red flag for the Jets because outside of Wilson, no one scares an NFL defense, meaning it might be easy to shift coverage Garrett's way to limit his production, and forcing, say, Reynolds and Lazard to beat you. Which is why training camp will be pivotal in either easing those fears or reinforcing them ahead of the 2025 season. Related: Breece Hall Offers Shocking Evaluation of Jets' 2025 'Ceiling' Related: Jets' Sauce Gardner Aims To Trick A 'Wizard' In Week 1 vs. Aaron Rodgers' Steelers This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
1 obvious New York Jets trade candidate entering 2025 training camp
The post 1 obvious New York Jets trade candidate entering 2025 training camp appeared first on ClutchPoints. After reaching peak dysfunction during the 2024 season, the New York Jets are hoping new head coach Aaron Glenn can stabilize the franchise. The team found out the hard way that it, in fact, was not just a quarterback away from contending for a championship as the Jets finished 5-12 last season and missed the playoffs for the 14th straight year. Advertisement The abject failure of the Aaron Rodgers era left the organization eager to head in a different direction for 2025. And Glenn's first big decision as the Jets' shot caller was to release the veteran quarterback. New York also parted ways with Davante Adams after acquiring him in a mid-season trade with the Las Vegas Raiders last year. And the team fired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who was hired in 2023 to help lure Rodgers to New York. Now it's time for the Jets to move on from the last vestige of the Rodgers era by trading Allen Lazard. Like Hackett, Lazard was brought in to make the Jets more appealing to the future Hall of Fame passer. New York signed the wideout to a four-year, $44 million contract prior to the 2023 season. A month later, the team landed Rodgers in a trade with the Green Bay Packers. Advertisement At the time it made sense to try to recreate the offensive environment from Rodgers' two most recent MVP seasons. But Lazard is all that remains from that effort. And Glenn has sent a clear message that the Jets are starting fresh in 2025 with a focus on getting younger and building a culture. Lazard never seemed like a natural fit with the Jets, even when Rodgers was playing. And his contributions when Rodgers was sidelined by injury in 2023 were negligible. Now, entering his age-30 season, he's rumored to be losing the WR2 battle to newcomer Josh Reynolds. It's clear that the Jets need to upgrade their wide receiver room as Reynolds is not cut out for the WR2 role in a successful passing offense. But neither is Lazard. The seventh-year veteran has never caught more than 60 passes or topped 788 receiving yards in a season despite playing nearly every game of his career with Aaron Rodgers, including during the passer's Most Valuable Player campaigns in 2020 and 2021. With Rodgers shelved due to an Achilles injury in 2023, Lazard had 23 receptions for 311 yards and one touchdown in 14 games. And when the quarterback returned to the field in 2024, Lazard responded by posting 37 catches for 530 yards and six scores. Advertisement In addition to the modest production, Lazard has been inconsistent with the Jets, struggling with drops – he had the sixth-highest drop rate among receivers in 2024 – and run blocking, which had been considered an area of strength for the wideout. The Jets don't have much talent at the position outside of star receiver Garrett Wilson. Beyond Lazard and Reynolds, the team has 2024 third-round pick Malachi Corley, who's flirting with a bust label, 2025 fourth-round speedster Arian Smith, who's considered a work in progress and journeyman Tyler Johnson. It would be wise to add a wideout capable of starting opposite Wilson and commanding some attention from opposing defenses. But if the Jets don't go that route (they won't) they might as well give the young guys playing time as Glenn sorts out exactly what he has on this roster. Either way, Lazard is not going to be part of the team's future. But he could still have some value on the market as a big-bodied WR3 for a team with multiple established pass catchers. It's not imperative that the Jets trade Lazard ahead of the season now that the wideout agreed to a restructured contract, accepting a $8.5 million pay cut. The new deal eases New York's cap burden and also makes Lazard a free agent following the 2025 campaign. The restructured terms would allow the team to keep the veteran receiver as a depth piece if a market doesn't develop. But Lazard is clearly the Jets' most obvious trade candidate and ideally New York would be able to flip him for some draft capital as Glenn and new GM Darren Mougey seek to rebuild the roster with young talent. Advertisement What about a Breece Hall trade? Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images In the lead up to the 2025 NFL Draft it was rumored that the Jets would try to trade Breece Hall. The team was reportedly interested in moving the fourth-year running back as he entered the final year of his rookie deal. While a draft day trade didn't materialize, rumors of Hall's availability heated up. Glenn then threw kerosene on the flames by professing his fondness for backup RBs Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, suggesting the second-year rushers would have an increased workload in a running-back-by-committee approach. Stripping Hall of his featured role seemed a sure indicator of the Jets' willingness to move him this offseason. Advertisement However, Glenn later reached out to Hall and assured him that the team had no interest in trading the 24-year-old back. The conversation, along with the lack of movement, helped squash rumors that Hall was on the market. A Hall trade would certainly yield a bigger return than moving Lazard. But the Jets are, rightly, hesitant to part with such a talented player. Hall appeared on his way to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2022 before a brutal knee injury ended his season after seven games (teammate Garrett Wilson would go on to claim the award). While Hall hasn't quite lived up to the initial promise he displayed in his debut, he's still shown flashes of his immense potential over the two seasons following his knee surgery. Hall overcame a dysfunctional Zach Wilson-led offense to post 1,585 total yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. And last season he racked up 1,359 total yards while scoring eight touchdowns in 16 games. Advertisement The Jets figure to feature an extremely run-heavy attack in 2025 with Justin Fields under center. So, even if Allen and Davis cut into Hall's workload, he should still get plenty of opportunities. And New York's best course of action is giving the former 36th overall draft pick another year to show what he's capable of before making a decision on his future. That said, it is possible that Hall gets moved at the trade deadline in 2025. If the Jets are a miserable wreck and/or it becomes clear the team isn't going to sign him to an extension based on the production of Allen and Davis, New York could end up trading Hall to a contender mid-season. Still, the best outcome for Jets fans is a breakout from Hall, solidifying the position long term for the first time since Curtis Martin in the early 2000s. Potential landing spots in an Allen Lazard trade Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images The most obvious, and most likely, trade destination for Lazard would be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lazard has, unquestionably, performed better with Rodgers as his quarterback. And the veteran passer is partial to the wideout. Advertisement Rodgers has an affinity for the familiar. His desire to be surrounded by former teammates and coaches was made clear during his time with the Jets. Previous Packers' personnel including Lazard, Hackett, Randal Cobb, Billy Turner and Davante Adams were all brought to New York to help Rodgers make the transition to a new team or, in Adams' case, to help improve his performance. While the Jets indulged the 41-year-old signal caller, the Steelers have so far refrained from making Rodgers-related roster moves. But acquiring Lazard could be beneficial for both Rodgers and Pittsburgh. The Steelers landed DK Metcalf during the offseason in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. However, Pittsburgh shipped George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys leaving the team with Metcalf and Robert Woods as the starting wideouts. Lazard could compete with Calvin Austin III for WR3 duties while also helping the Steelers new QB adjust. While Pittsburgh is the most likely landing spot for Lazard, the Raiders could also be a potential fit. While Las Vegas wants to win now under new head coach Pete Carroll, the team lacks depth behind veteran wideout Jakobi Meyers. Additionally, Lazard is a capable run blocker when motivated and could help the Raiders ground attack led by Ashton Jeanty. Related: Steelers bold predictions for 2025 season after Jalen Ramsey trade Related: Miami Dolphins bold predictions for 2025 season after Jalen Ramsey trade
