New York Jets' Allen Lazard reportedly may not want Aaron Rodgers reunion with Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard has spent the majority of his NFL career catching passes during the season from Aaron Rodgers. With the future Hall of Famer now signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, many have wondered if the quarterback and receiver will reunite again.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Lazard sees 'a very real potential benefit' in demonstrating his ability to contribute without catching passes from the four-time NFL MVP. In addition, the veteran wideout fits nicely in a Jets' offense that will be more run-heavy and rely on sound blocking by its receivers.
Advertisement
Related: Jets insider sheds light on likely cost of Sauce Gardner contract extension
Allen Lazard stats (ESPN): 37 receptions, 530 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns, 14.3 yards per reception in 12 games last season
In Lazard's last full season without Rodgers under center, he struggled to make an impact. Across 14 games in 2023, he recorded just 311 receiving yards on 49 targets, even becoming a healthy scratch in multiple games. It's also worth noting that Lazard agreed to a pay cut in April that kept him in New York.
Heading into minicamp, Lazard would likely be the second receiver on the depth chart behind Garrett Wilson. However, he would also be competing with wide receivers Josh Reynolds and Malachi Corley, along with rookie tight end Mason Taylor for targets in a run-heavy offense.
Related: Steelers have set timeline for T.J. Watt contract extension
Pittsburgh is still looking to replace George Pickens, who was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Lazard would have the advantage of an established rapport with Rodgers, which could prove significant considering the 41-year-old quarterback's history of heavily targeting wide receivers he completely trusts regardless of the talent around him on the field.
Advertisement
What's unknown is whether or not the Jets would be willing to move on from Lazard, especially if it means releasing him or trading him to Pittsburgh for a swap of late-round picks. Given Lazard's blocking ability, he might be more valuable to the team than a future Day 3 pick.
Read More: NFL power rankings 2025, see where Jets and Steelers land
Related Headlines
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NBA Finals Game 7 history: Looking back at the last seven Game 7s
OKLAHOMA CITY — Sunday night we will witness the 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history — one game with everything on the line. "One game. I mean, this is what it's all about," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "This is what you dream about growing up, this kind of opportunity." Advertisement It's a stage where the biggest, most legendary names in the game — as well as some role players with impeccable timing — have etched their name in NBA lore. "When I think of Game 7, at least in the Finals, I think of San Antonio and Miami, and I think of Lakers/Celtics," Alex Caruso said. On Sunday, people will be thinking of Pacers vs. Thunder. Either Indiana or Oklahoma City will win its first NBA championship (we're not counting the title the former Thunder won as the SuperSonics in Seattle, they will have an expansion team in that city that can count that title soon enough). In honor of Game 7, let's look back at the last seven Game 7s of the NBA Finals. 2016: Cavaliers at Warriors This is the Game 7 that sticks in many people's minds. Advertisement "I think that's probably one of the greatest games I've ever been able to watch as a basketball fan," Tyrese Haliburton said. "That's what makes Game 7 so fun." "2016, that was the Kyrie step back on the wing," the Pacers' Obi Toppin said when asked about his favorite Game 7 memory. "Yeah, that was probably the coldest one, for sure." We can only hope Sunday's Game 7 lives up to the drama of the last NBA Finals Game 7, when LeBron James put up a line of 27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and three blocks — although we only remember one of them. LeBron's effort helped Cleveland cap a 3-1 series comeback and beat Golden State on its home court. Don't forget about Kevin Love's defense on Stephen Curry late in that game, either. 2013: Spurs at Heat This NBA Finals is remembered more for Game 6, when Ray Allen's corner 3 off a Chris Bosh offensive rebound forced a Game 7 just as it looked like San Antonio would be celebrating a title. After that, the Heat still had work to do. In Game 7, LeBron took charge with 37 points and 12 rebounds, while Dwyane Wade added 23 points and 10 rebounds in the 95-88 Miami win. 2010: Celtics vs. Lakers The Lakers had come from 3-2 down in the series to force a Game 7 (and don't ask Celtics fans "what if Kendrick Perkins had been healthy?"). Like a lot of Game 7s, this one wasn't pretty. Kobe Bryant stepped up with 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 19 points and 18 boards. However, with the Lakers up by just 3 and more than a minute left in the game, it was Ron Artest's 3-pointer that proved to be the biggest shot of the night, leading to the greatest postgame podium session in NBA history. 2005: Pistons at Spurs This was the peak defense NBA Finals — only one team broke 100 all series long — and San Antonio won Game 7 in an 81-74 slugfest. Tim Duncan did his thing with 25 points and 11 rebounds, but it was Manu Ginobili scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter that locked the title up for the Spurs. 1994: Knicks at Rockets New York had a 3-2 series lead, but under the old 3-2-3 format, had to go to Houston and seal the deal. Hakeem Olajuwon proved to be too much. In Game 7 he had 25 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots. This was the first of back-to-back Rockets titles. 1988: Pistons at Lakers "Big Game" James Worthy lived up to that reputation in this one with a triple-double of 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. Magic Johnson also stood out with 19 points and 14 assists to help the Lakers come back from a 3-2 deficit in the series and win. 1984: Lakers at Celtics Of course this classic 1980s Finals Game 7 featured a big game from Larry Bird — 20 points, 12 rebounds — but this game is remembered as the Cedric Maxwell game: 24 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. The Celtics got to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy that year.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tom Thibodeau's ‘challenge' message to Knicks after tough Pacers ECF loss
The post Tom Thibodeau's 'challenge' message to Knicks after tough Pacers ECF loss appeared first on ClutchPoints. Once again, the New York Knicks have fallen in the NBA Playoffs to the Indiana Pacers. Only this time, losing a series to the Pacers stings more since the Knicks were on the doorstep of winning the Eastern Conference Finals and heading to the NBA Finals. Advertisement As the offseason begins earlier than New York had hoped, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is appreciative of his team for not giving up and fighting until the very end. However, Thibodeau is already looking ahead and challenging his team for not reaching their ultimate goals this season. 'There's disappointment because you fall short of what your goal is,' Thibodeau stated in his immediate postgame remarks on Saturday night, via SNY. 'In the end, there's only going to be one team that achieves the goal. And so I think the challenge for us is to look at it for what it is. We finished in the top three, but we're falling short of the ultimate goal. 'So for us, it's to use that for motivation and determination to work all summer to prepare ourselves to make the final step and keep improving so we can achieve our goal.' This is a tough series for the Knicks to lose, given all the roster changes they made last summer. Advertisement Aside from trading a handful of first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, Leon Rose and his front office also leveraged Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to acquire All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns. In this championship series against Indiana, Towns averaged 24.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. The future is unknown in New York. Other than Jalen Brunson, any player could be on the move in yet another offseason move to try and pursue a championship. There are also some early questions being asked about Thibodeau's long-term outlook with the Knicks after falling short of their ultimate goals yet again. Thibodeau recognizes that changes are needed, which is why he is heading into the offseason ready to come up with an answer as to what his team needs. Advertisement 'You look at your team, and I think you analyze what the strengths and weaknesses of the team are, and then you're always thinking about improvement,' Thibodeau continued. 'How do we improve what we have? And I think you always start with the internal improvement. You have the order of the draft, free agency, and, of course, all the trade possibilities. Leon and his staff — there's always a lot of talk that goes on. 'They (will) analyze whether something makes sense and can improve our team. We aren't going to do something just to do something.' A lot of uncertainty faces the Eastern Conference entering the offseason due to Jayson Tatum's injury with the Boston Celtics and Giannis Antetokounmpo's future being unknown with the Milwaukee Bucks. There is still an opportunity for the Knicks to compete for a championship, but key decisions in the summer will dictate their future. As for now, the Knicks will head back home to New York City thinking that they squandered a key chance to make the NBA Finals.
New York Times
28 minutes ago
- New York Times
Suns trade Kevin Durant to Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, 1st-round pick: Sources
The Phoenix Suns are trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks, team sources told The Athletic. This marks the first blockbuster trade for Phoenix general manager Brian Gregory, a former college basketball coach who was promoted to his new role as part of a front-office revamp in May. After missing the playoffs with the league's highest payroll, owner Mat Ishbia set out to establish an organizational identity focused on toughness. Advertisement Durant will play for his fifth team, following stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix. He has one year left on his current contract at $54.7 million, and is eligible this summer for a two-year extension worth up to $122 million. The 15-time All-Star turns 37 in September. Durant's future in the desert became clear at this season's trade deadline. Fighting to reach .500, the underperforming Suns explored trading the superstar without informing him, something Durant did not appreciate. Over the season's final weeks, Durant seemed to accept his fate. With Phoenix lacking roster flexibility as a second-apron team, the Suns needed to reset. Trading him was their best option. Although fans appreciated Durant's greatness, his time in Phoenix will not be remembered fondly. He and Devin Booker never became a dominant duo, nor did they replicate the chemistry displayed last summer on Team USA's gold-medal run in Paris. Adding Bradley Beal before the 2023-24 season didn't help. A three-time All-Star and high-level scorer, Beal struggled to stay healthy and find a role. Overall, the Suns won one playoff series with Durant, a 2023 first-round series against a Los Angeles Clippers team missing key players. In 2024, the Suns were swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. This season, they didn't even make the play-in tournament. The Suns had a different head coach for all three of Durant's seasons. This will likely not be Phoenix's final move. The Suns are expected to try and part ways with Beal, but his salary (he is owed nearly $111 million over the next two seasons) and contract (he has a no-trade clause) will make that difficult. Phoenix explored moving Beal in February but never came close to making a deal. The Suns plan to build around Booker, a four-time All-Star and the franchise's career scoring leader. Over 10 years, Booker has experienced some of the best Phoenix seasons and some of the worst. He is eligible this summer for a two-year extension worth $150 million. Booker will play next season for Jordan Ott, a first-time head coach the Suns hired this month after an extensive search. This story will be updated.
