When the Green Bay Packers traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, everyone knew the passing game would look very different in 2022. This belief was furthered when Marquez Valdes-Scantling signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. While the Packers signed Sammy Watkins and drafted three wide receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft, the team did not go out to sign a proven number one wide receiver. According to Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, this is due to Allen Lazard’s potential to become a dynamic part of the Green Bay offense.
Related: The case for Allen Lazard as wide receiver one
Allen Lazard Is the Packers’ Best Kept Secret
When discussing why the Packers did not go out and get a bigger name wide receiver, Davenport discussed Lazard’s career-high stats last season. In 2021, Lazard had 40 receptions for 513 yards and eight touchdowns. It does not get talked about much, but take a look at those numbers again: 40 receptions and eight touchdowns. That means that one in every five of Lazard’s receptions were touchdowns. He also had 28 first down catches. This means that 36 out of 40 of his receptions moved the chains or put points on the scoreboard. In short, Lazard was a very underrated contributor to the offense last season.
With Anthony Barr in his face, Aaron Rodgers is able to lob one up and somehow find Allen Lazard in the endzone for the first touchdown of the game. Incredible.#GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/pcCzwIawBo
— 𝐽𝐸𝑁 𝑀𝐴𝐶𝐾 🧀 (@BigMack_4) January 3, 2022
Of Lazard replacing Adams as the Packers top wide receiver, Davenport wrote:
Lazard isn’t just going to duplicate Adams’ production—that’s not a realistic expectation. But if Lazard really does become Rodgers’ top passing-game weapon, doubling his receptions and yardage from a year ago is well within reason.
If Lazard doubles his stats, as Davenport suggests, that would give him 80 receptions for 1,026 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Related: How the Packers’ offense performed without Davante Adams from 2019-2021
Aaron Rodgers Believes Lazard Can Be Wide Receiver One
The notion that Allen Lazard can step up to be the Packers top wide receiver is not just some hopeful whim by fans. Aaron Rodgers himself believes Lazard is capable of being a primary target. In an interview he gave during the Packers’ mandatory mini camp, Rodgers said the following of Lazard:
“Excited about Allen Lazard. He’s been our dirty-work guy for most of his career here. Now he’s getting an opportunity to be a number one receiver. So, I’m not worried at all about him stepping into that role. I talk to him a lot. I know how he takes care of his body. I know he’ll be ready when he’s here.”
Allen Lazard (@AllenLazard) is the 53rd player in #Packers history with at least 10 receiving touchdowns. pic.twitter.com/w6W4vo0QOW
— Scott Grodsky (@ScottGrodsky) December 13, 2021
“When he’s here” refers to the fact that Lazard had not signed his tender and was absent from minicamp. However, he did eventually sign it and will report to training camp with the rest of the team.
Related: Allen Lazard Reveals the Key to Gaining the Trust of Aaron Rodgers
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