The Aaron Rodgers chapter in New York has felt like it’s been winding down for a while-but with the release of Allen Lazard, it might finally be closed for good.
Lazard, who followed Rodgers from Green Bay to the Jets with a four-year, $44 million deal in hand, is officially out in New York. It’s a move that felt inevitable.
The 30-year-old wideout had been a healthy scratch for the last four games and started just twice all season. In total, he’s played in 10 games this year, catching only 10 passes for 70 yards and a single touchdown.
That’s a stark drop-off for a player who was once viewed as a reliable target and red-zone weapon during his time with the Packers.
The Jets, sitting at 3-11 and searching for answers on offense, are clearly moving on from the Rodgers-era blueprint-and Lazard was one of the final pieces of that puzzle. His release marks the end of a short-lived experiment that saw New York bring in a wave of Rodgers’ former Green Bay teammates in an effort to recreate the chemistry and system that worked in Wisconsin.
Lazard, to his credit, reportedly asked for his release. Earlier this year, he even took a nearly $9 million pay cut to stick around for 2025, a sign he was still hoping to make it work in New York.
But the production just wasn’t there. Over three seasons with the Jets, he totaled only 70 catches for 911 yards-numbers that pale in comparison to his Green Bay stint, where he hauled in 168 receptions for 2,229 yards and 20 touchdowns across four seasons.
His NFL journey started as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa State, and he made his mark with the Packers beginning in 2018. That first year, he had just one catch-but by 2020, he was a key part of a high-powered offense. That version of Lazard never quite materialized in New York.
When Rodgers arrived via trade in 2023, he brought a familiar cast with him. The Jets added Randall Cobb, Malik Taylor, Tim Boyle, Adrian Amos, Billy Turner, and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett-all with Green Bay ties.
Even Davante Adams joined the mix in 2024, acquired from the Raiders at the trade deadline. Now, all of them are gone.
The only former Packer still wearing green and white is center Josh Myers, who joined the Jets this season after being let go by Green Bay. Originally brought in as a backup, Myers has since taken over the starting role and recently signed a two-year, $11 million extension. He’s been a rare bright spot in an otherwise turbulent season for the Jets’ offense.
New York still has some Wisconsin roots in the locker room. Joe Tippmann, the former Wisconsin Badger, is the starting right guard.
Will McDonald, a Waukesha North High School product, has carved out a role as a starting edge rusher. And while rookie running back Braelon Allen-another Wisconsin standout-is currently on injured reserve with a knee injury, the Jets still see him as a key piece for the future.
But as for the Rodgers-era reunion tour? That’s officially in the rearview mirror. The Jets are moving on, and with Lazard out, the last real link to that vision is gone.