Jets already showing buyer’s remorse with Aaron Rodgers tagalong

Following yet another year of horrendous quarterback play, the New York Jets said that enough was enough and they were going to find themselves a quarterback to get them over the hump. They quickly identified said quarterback to be Aaron Rodgers, formerly of the Green Bay Packers.

Despite Rodgers saying he was 90% retired following the 2022 season, the Jets made their situation as enticing for Rodgers to want to come. Nathaniel Hackett was hired to be the team's offensive coordinator. Randall Cobb was signed. Even Tim Boyle came along to join him in the quarterback room. The most expensive move that the Jets made was signing one of Rodgers' top targets from his Packers days, Allen Lazard.

The Jets gave Lazard a four-year deal worth up to $44 million including $22 million guaranteed. He was expected to slot in as the Jets' WR2 alongside budding superstar Garrett Wilson. Unfortunately, nothing that happened last season, including that signing, worked out in New York's favor. After a rough first year with the Jets, GM Joe Douglas appears to already be showing buyer's remorse by placing him on the trade block according to Diana Russini and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic.

Jets already admitting that signing Allen Lazard was a mistake by placing him on the trade block

Lazard was coming off his best season before signing with the Jets, setting career highs in both receptions (60) and receiving yards (733). He did that with Aaron Rodgers under center. He made the move to the Jets alongside Rodgers in a move that made some sense considering their chemistry. Unfortunately, Rodgers going down with a season-ending injury four plays into the 2023 campaign not only ended the Jets season but might've ended Lazard's tenure with the team.

The 28-year-old was downright abysmal in his first year with the Jets, recording just 23 receptions for 311 yards and one touchdown in 14 games. To make matters worse, he recorded four dropped passes according to Pro Football Reference despite being targeted only 49 times. Lazard wound up even being a healthy scratch at one point, that's how bad it got.

Downgrading from Rodgers to Zach Wilson was obviously going to result in a decrease in production from Lazard, but he was virtually a non-factor all season long. He will almost certainly look better with Rodgers back and healthy, but how much better? The Jets clearly don't expect much at all from him by placing him on the block.

The question now becomes is there a team out there who'd be willing to take him? Lazard has a $12.1 million cap hit for this season, a number almost no team would presumably be willing to take on without the Jets either giving up an asset or taking a bad contract back in return.