When the Green Bay Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets, general manager Brian Gutekunst received a great deal of criticism from some fans and the national media. In the weeks leading up to and following the trade, Jets general manager Joe Douglas added several of Rodgers’ former Packers teammates, including wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.
The Jets’ whole idea, of course, was that they would add Rodgers and his veteran friends to compliment their young and talented roster. If everything worked out according to plan, they would be serious Super Bowl contenders.
The Packers, meanwhile, prepared for their first season with Jordan Love as their starting quarterback and added several rookie skill players around him to replace the veterans they let depart via free agency. The organization received a great deal of backlash for the decisions that they made over the course of the offseason. These criticisms magnified during the season as Green Bay went through a frustrating four-game losing streak that saw them fall to 2-5.
However, Green Bay has won three of their past four games with Love and his rookie pass catchers displaying growth and a glimpse into how good the future is going to be.
The New York Jets Have Not Had Good Look with Former Green Bay Packers Players
Everyone, of course, knows about the unfortunate situation surrounding Rodgers. On the fourth snap of his season, he tore his Achilles heel and was lost for the season.
But Rodgers not being healthy is not the only problem the Jets have had with former Packers players. Lazard and Cobb have been far from the productive veterans that New York had hoped they’d be when they were signed. Lazard, especially, had some moderately high expectations due to his four-year $44 million contract.
Through ten games this season, Lazard has just 20 receptions for 290 yards and a single touchdown. Cobb, meanwhile, has often been a healthy scratch from New York’s game day roster and has appeared in just six games and has registered three receptions for 20 yards.
Today, the Jets are playing the Miami Dolphins in a special Black Friday game. Lazard and Cobb, however, are both not playing. They are not injured; they are healthy scratches.
Green Bay Packers Fans Mock the New York Jets After Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb Were Named Healthy Scratches
Despite the criticism Gutekunst received over the offseason, many fans have begun to see his vision for the team and are buying in. When Lazard and Cobb were named healthy scratches for Friday’s game, they went off on the Jets and praised Gutekunst on social media:
All the key players that the Packers moved on from this last offseason w/ PFF grade (not including QB1):
R. Cobb – 173 snaps – 46.5 grade
A. Lazard – 528 snaps – 55.4 grade
M. Lewis – 185 snaps – 74.3 grade
R. Tonyan – 174 snaps – 46.8 gradeD. Lowry – 237 snaps – 47.4 grade
J.…— Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) November 24, 2023
marquez valdes-scantling would be the sixth leading receiver on the packers right now, randall cobb’s been a healthy scratch for a month and now allen lazard is out of the picture. jeez https://t.co/G1ZOY2Y1FZ
— zach jacobson (@itszacharyj) November 24, 2023
The money that Aaron made for MVS and Lazard. So many millions 💰 https://t.co/YEgO8pBAnT
— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) November 24, 2023
Aaron Rodgers tried to pull off what TB12 did in Tampa Bay but Rodgers failed to realize that Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb are not quite Gronk and Antonio Brown https://t.co/7czBJprz6M
— Joey Van Zummeren (@JoeyVZ_) November 24, 2023
Jets had quite the offseason:
+ Aaron Rodgers trade lasts one drive
+ Punted QB2
+ 1st round EDGE playing 11 snaps per game
+ Mecole Hardman signed, then traded
+ Allen Lazard ($22M guaranteed) scratched
+ Dalvin Cook ($7M) for 21 YPG
+ Randall Cobb ($3M) for 3 YPG— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) November 24, 2023
Noted genius Joe Douglas gave him that contract https://t.co/wSPFNpa9UK
— Tim Backes (@timbackes) November 24, 2023
“Can’t spell genius without Joe Douglas”
– Joe Douglas, probably
— Michael Allen 🧀 (@MichaelAllenNFL) November 24, 2023
“People” in this case meaning “Joe Douglas” https://t.co/O6BjsF9laK
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) November 24, 2023
Not genius Joe Douglas, no way https://t.co/LZdnB3Evc9
— Mike Kawano (@KawanoMike) November 24, 2023
I owe Gutekunst an apology https://t.co/nFoj8iEQEb
— cooper🥋 (@itsCooop) November 24, 2023
While the Packers are 5-6 and the Jets 4-6 (about to be 4-7), there is certainly much more optimism surrounding Green Bay than New York.
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