Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk has recently indicated that the Steelers are considering a trade for Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard following their decision to send WR George Pickens to the Cowboys.
This speculation comes as Lazard shares a strong connection with QB Aaron Rodgers, who has reportedly reached a one-year agreement with the Steelers.
Despite trading Pickens, Pittsburgh has not yet acquired another prominent receiver but is currently in talks with free agent WR Gabe Davis.
There has been growing speculation regarding Lazard’s potential move to the Steelers. However, Florio now reveals that Lazard “sees a very real potential benefit to proving his ability to function at an acceptable level without Rodgers as his quarterback.”
Given his size and blocking ability, Lazard may be more suited for a run-centric offense, raising questions about whether the Jets would even consider trading him at this stage.
Having followed Rodgers from Green Bay to the Jets, Lazard was anticipated to leave New York alongside him. However, the two sides recently restructured a deal for 2025 to decrease his salary.
This new agreement wouldn’t necessarily obstruct a trade, provided Rodgers ultimately signs with the Steelers and the two organizations can negotiate a deal.
Lazard, now 29, began his career as an undrafted free agent with the Jaguars out of Iowa State in 2018, signing a three-year contract worth $1.71 million, though he was waived after the preseason.
Later, the Jaguars brought Lazard back onto their practice squad after he cleared waivers, and he was later signed by the Packers to their active roster near the end of the 2018 season. He was subsequently re-signed by Green Bay as an exclusive rights free agent in the following two offseasons and received a second-round tender as a restricted free agent in 2022.
In 2023, Lazard signed a four-year contract with the Jets worth $44 million, with $22 million guaranteed.
He was set to receive base salaries of $11 million over the last two years of the contract when he agreed to a significant pay reduction and to remove the final year of the deal, making him an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
In the 2024 season, Lazard played in 12 games for the Jets, recording 37 receptions on 60 targets for a total of 530 yards and six touchdowns.
Image Source: Allen Lazard @ Instagram
