New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard takes a stand. To stay on the team, he accepted a lower salary by more than 80 percent. It has been a challenging 2023 season for Lazard. He finished the season with 37 catches for 530 yards and six touchdowns. His new annual base salary is $2.25 million. There’s an additional $250,000 he can earn through game-by-game roster bonuses.
Lazard’s professional career is now taking its seventh season, starting with five seasons at the Green Bay Packers before arriving at the Jets. During his career so far, he’s caught 229 passes for 3,077 yards and 27 touchdowns. After a difficult opening in New York, the second-year player caught 60 passes for 841 yards and seven scores during the 2022 campaign. Yet he has shown incredible toughness and never for a second has lacked a desire to improve himself.
The 2023 season wasn’t without its struggles for Lazard either. He ended up leading the team with seven drops, which helped put a little more salt to a slightly inconsistent overall performance. Yet, it was his on-field contributions that stood out the most, specifically the strides he made in his blocking ability.
“Listen, anytime you have a player of that magnitude, he’s a really good blocker.” – Aaron Glenn
Lazard’s decision to take a pay cut underscores his dedication to the Jets and his desire to contribute positively to the team’s success. The agreement to a new contract extension prevented him from leaving the organization. More importantly, it provides the team with the financial flexibility to improve their roster.
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