The franchises might prefer otherwise, but the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets will be irrevocably linked in the NFL archives as co-hosts of the Aaron Rodgers experience. In Green Bay, Rodgers built a Hall of Fame career as perhaps the best pure passer of his generation, posting the top two single-season passer ratings of all time (122.5, 2011; 121.5, 2020). After a bitter departure following the drafting of Jordan Love, he did much to rewrite his legacy as a member of the Jets–and not in a good way.
But he has also connected the two teams by attracting some of his favorite targets to New York. Most notably, former Packer Davante Adams, Green Bay’s franchise leader for catches (123) and receiving yards (1553) in a season, arrived there in a deal with the Raiders only to leave in free agency. Another Rodgers fave, however, chose to stay despite permission to seek a trade. He took a major pay cut to do so.
And Then There Was One
Of the group of ex-Packers who donated seasons to New York’s Rodgers experiment, A-Rod himself is the only one whose immediate future remains up in the air. Randall Cobb came over in 2023, the year Rodgers tore his Achilles four snaps into the season. He caught five balls for 39 yards. Yet to receive a pass from Rodgers, Cobb retired the following summer.
Adams was productive in 11 games during the 2024 campaign. Following his arrival from Las Vegas, he led the team with 867 receiving yards, 67 catches and 7 touchdowns. This offseason, he signed a two-year deal worth $46 million with the Rams.
Meanwhile, Rodgers has yet to make a decision on where he will sign or whether he is coming back at all. Previous landing spots like Las Vegas and Minnesota have already committed to quarterbacks for next season. The only plausible destination left is Pittsburgh, who seems in no hurry to fill the gaping hole at the position left by the departures of Justin Fields (Jets) and Russell Wilson (Giants).
Now, after two seasons with the team, former Rodgers target Allen Lazard has agreed to a restructured contract to remain in New York. Details below.
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Allen Lazard Languishing in New York After Career Days with Green Bay Packers
Due $11 million in 2025, Lazard will now make a base salary of $2.25M, per ESPN, with a $250,000 bonus for each game he is rostered. The restructured deal also nulls the final season of Lazard’s initial four-year, $44M contract and guarantees $1.75M of his base salary next year. Although it carries a $4.4M hit in 2026, the move saves New York $8.6M in cap space in 2025. With Lazard unable to elicit interest from potential trade partners, it makes sense for both sides.
Before becoming a free agent following the season, Lazard will have another chance to enhance his value. With Rodgers throwing to him last year, he brought in 37 passes for 530 yards and six scores in 12 games. While a significant improvement over his prior campaign, it was not the level of production he provided in Rodgers’ last run in Green Bay, when Lazard set career highs in catches (60), targets (100) and yards (788). Of course, that was also with a younger, pre-injury version of A-Rod in the pocket.
Despite being just 29 years old, the seven-year veteran may have demonstrated his ceiling as a Packer in 2022. Next season, the Jets center will be snapping to Fields, known more for his legs than his arm. Even in his twilight stage, coming off catastrophic injury, Rodgers threw for 28 TDs and 3,897 yards. Lazard will be lucky to reproduce his 2024 numbers, much less his career marks from Green Bay.
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