One high-profile Jets starter might not even make the 53-man roster

The New York Jets made the decision to clean house this offseason, parting ways with the previous regime, Aaron Rodgers, and just about everyone tied to that era — everyone except for Allen Lazard.

The veteran wideout agreed to a reworked contract and, somewhat surprisingly, remained on the roster beyond the 2025 NFL Draft and into training camp. Most assumed Lazard would be among those sent packing, but the team's thin wide receiver depth chart was enough to keep him around at least temporarily.

Lazard entered the summer competing for the WR2 job behind Garrett Wilson with veteran Josh Reynolds, but reports out of spring practices suggested the latter had the early edge. Now, two weeks into training camp, Lazard finds himself slipping even further down the depth chart.

The longtime Rodgers teammate may not just be fighting for a starting job at this point — he's fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster. Yes, Lazard is far from a lock to even make the team.

Allen Lazard might not make the Jets' roster this summer

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported last week that he's not convinced Lazard will make the Jets' roster, questioning what his role on the team might be. Reynolds has emerged as the odds-on favorite to win the WR2 job, and it goes beyond just starting spots.

Fellow free-agent addition Tyler Johnson has impressed this summer and, according to Rosenblatt, is emerging as the Jets' penciled-in WR3. Lazard has reportedly only hauled in one pass from Justin Fields in the passing game throughout all of training camp to this point.

All the while, Reynolds has quickly established chemistry with his new quarterback, Johnson and rookie Arian Smith have flashed, and even under-the-radar guys like former UFL standout Brandon Smith and undrafted rookie Jamaal Pritchett have outplayed Lazard.

It’s still only early August, but Lazard already appears to have lost his grip on both a starting job and a roster spot. His lack of special teams value only further complicates his case — if he’s not a key piece on offense, it’s hard to justify keeping him around at all.

Lazard showed signs of improvement last season after a disastrous 2023, but he still managed to lead the NFL in drop rate for the second consecutive year. He's dropped a whopping 18 percent of his passes in each of the last two seasons.

Other wide receivers in Jets camp keep flashing with big plays while Lazard continues to blend into the background. At this rate, his best highlight might legitimately be surviving roster cuts.

The Jets already moved on from Rodgers and the coaching staff that brought Allen Lazard here. If his camp doesn’t turn around soon, the last piece of that era might not survive the cut either.

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