Re-sign or Let Go and Prediction: Can the Packers retain Allen Lazard?
By Paul Bretl
This offseason, the Green Bay Packers have 14 unrestricted free agents of their own to make decisions on either before or during NFL free agency, which begins on March 15th.
Over the next few weeks, my “Re-sign or Let go & Prediction” series is back, where I will take a look at each of the Packers’ unrestricted free agents, laying out why Green Bay may try to re-sign them, why they would let them walk, and then I’ll make a prediction.
Next up, I will be taking a look at wide receiver Allen Lazard. Below you will find the other players already discussed.
Why the Packers would re-sign Allen Lazard
Allen Lazard isn’t a true number-one receiver, but he was still a valuable member of this Packers team. During his time in Green Bay, Lazard was reliable and particularly effective in the red zone and on third downs. On top of that, he was a very important part of the run game as a willing and effective blocker.
This past season while in a larger role, Lazard led the Packers in targets with 98 per PFF ($$). The next closest was Aaron Jones, with 72. Lazard would catch 61% of those passes for 788 yards and six touchdowns. While hopefully, the receiver room will improve in 2023 due to Year 2 jumps from Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure, the overall depth of this group is still very much in question, with only those three under contract at the moment. Having a veteran presence can provide some stability to this position.
There is also the added wrinkle of Lazard being one of the players that Aaron Rodgers mentioned he would like to have back. If the Packers want Rodgers as their quarterback in 2023, bringing Lazard back may have to be a part of that equation.
Why the Packers would not re-sign Allen Lazard
I’m sure if the salary cap weren’t an issue, the Packers would love to have Lazard back, although ideally, not as the top target. However, the salary cap is very real, and Green Bay is again in a tough spot.
The Packers are currently $16 million over the projected salary cap, and while they have plenty of contract restructure candidates to help them be solvent, they again aren’t going to have a ton of spending power in free agency.
Last offseason, the Packers expressed interest in re-signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but ultimately chose not to, with him making over $10 million per year in Kansas City. It could end up being a similar situation with Lazard, who Spotrac projects to make $11 million per year on his next contract.
Prediction: Allen Lazard signs elsewhere
It’s not a very deep free agent wide receiver class, so that will drive Lazard’s price tag up and out of the Packers’ range. When up against the salary cap like they are, difficult decisions have to be made, and this will be one of them. Also, with the odds of a Rodgers trade seemingly increasing each day, that would give the Packers the opportunity to not rebuild but to hit the reset button to a degree with the salary cap.
I imagine that Green Bay will be hoping Watson and Doubs take steps forward while they add to the receiver room in the draft as well as in free agency, with a relatively inexpensive veteran option.