Allen Lazard Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Jets bench big offseason addition for Week 12

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 11/24/23

The New York Jets appear to have lost faith in one of their big offseason acquisitions ahead of their Week 12 game against the Miami Dolphins.

The Jets are making wide receiver Allen Lazard a healthy inactive for Friday’s game, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. The move comes after a major lack of production through the season’s first 11 weeks.

BREAKING: #Jets WR Allen Lazard is inactive today, sources tell @SNYtv.

Lazard, who signed a $44 million contract in the offseason, dropped his seventh pass of the season last week. He has just 20 catches for 290 yards and one TD. pic.twitter.com/RtrUJB1bqO

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) November 24, 2023

This certainly suggests Lazard is on the outs less than a year after signing a four-year, $44 million free-agent contract with the Jets. He has been largely ineffective this year, and it cannot be totally pinned on the team’s poor quarterback play, either. He has struggled with drops while catching just 20 passes for 290 yards and a touchdown, and will not get the chance to turn things around with Tim Boyle at quarterback, at least for this week.

Lazard is notably close with Aaron Rodgers and essentially committed to following the quarterback in free agency. Rodgers’s injury has certainly been a big negative for Lazard, but the Jets are likely stuck with him at least through 2024 due to a hefty dead cap hit of over $18 million.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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