While it’s reasonable to expect Aaron Rodgers to bring over some of his familiar weapons to the Pittsburgh Steelers, one name is likely off the table. Despite rumors linking the Steelers with New York Jets receiver Allen Lazard, the former Rodgers target is reportedly happy to stay in New York.
“Per a source with knowledge of Lazard’s thinking, he sees a very real potential benefit to proving his ability to function at an acceptable level without Rodgers as his quarterback,” NBC’s Mike Florio wrote. “With the Jets planning a run-heavy offense under new coach Aaron Glenn (and new quarterback Justin Fields), there’s a premium on receiver blocking. At six feet, five inches and 225 pounds, Lazard fits that role perfectly.”
Florio’s report, as he noted, doesn’t outright eliminate Lazard from being sent to Pittsburgh. If the Steelers offer the right price, the Jets would certainly be inclined to move on from the 29-year-old receiver.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are better off without Aaron Rodgers' former teammate, Allen Lazard
A seven-year veteran, Lazard has 229 receptions for 3,077 yards and 29 scores in his career. While not all of those stats came directly from Rodgers’ passes, the Hall of Fame-bound quarterback has been the QB1 on the roster for the entirety of Lazard’s career.
It is intriguing that Lazard would be in favor of staying in New York. As Florio pointed out, the Jets will be even more run-focused in 2025 with Justin Fields as the new quarterback. Reports out of camp also indicate the team wants to feed all three of its young running backs, and with Fields at QB, that equals a lot of run plays for Gang Green.
Conversely, the Steelers will still be run-oriented in 2025 in Arthur Smith’s command of the offense, but Rodgers will certainly open up the offense in a manner that hasn’t been seen in Pittsburgh since before Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. After all, receivers earn bigger paychecks for catching passes, not perimeter blocking.
Still, Lazard’s lackluster play without Rodgers isn’t something Steelers fans would be keen on seeing once Rodgers’ short time in Pittsburgh is done. There are other options, whether through trade, free agency, or emerging receivers on the roster, who could help the Steelers solve their missing piece on the offense.