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Rich Cimini
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Embarking on the post-Aaron Rodgers era, the New York Jets are prepared to part with two of his favorite wide receivers, Davante Adams and Allen Lazard.
The Jets have given permission to Lazard to seek a trade before the start of the new league year on March 12, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday. Adams also has permission to speak with other teams, NFL Network reported Sunday.
Because of their large salaries, Adams and Lazard will be difficult to trade. They’re due to make $35.6 million and $11 million in 2025 base pay, respectively, both non-guaranteed. The likely outcome is that both will be released before free agency next week.
The Jets are open to keeping Lazard, sources told Schefter, but that likely would require a huge pay cut.
This all comes in the aftermath of the Jets’ recent decision to release Rodgers, which likely will occur on March 12.
The Jets are undoing what they did two years ago, when they went all-in for Rodgers. Before finalizing the trade with the Green Bay Packers, they signed Lazard to a four-year, $44 million contract. They also added Randall Cobb, another former Packers receiver who has since retired. At the time, the goal was to make themselves more attractive to Rodgers.
The last piece was Adams, whom they acquired last October in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders — a move that cost the Jets a 2025 third-round draft pick. Now, after a disastrous 5-12 season that prompted an organizational reboot, the Jets are shedding remnants of the Rodgers regime.
By trading or cutting Adams and Lazard, the Jets will create $36.5 million in cap space, which will allow them more flexibility in free agency. At the same time, they will be extremely thin at receiver. Aside from Garrett Wilson, who has three straight 1,000-yard seasons, the top receivers are Xavier Gipson and Malachi Corley. They combined for only nine receptions last season.
In two seasons, Lazard, 29, had only 60 receptions for 841 yards and two touchdowns. He struggled in 2023 and wound up getting benched. He rebounded with a strong start last season, but eventually lost playing time to Adams, who moved into an immediate starting role after his trade.
Adams, 32, played at a high level last season. In 11 games with the Jets, he recorded 67 catches, 854 yards and seven touchdowns, putting him over 1,000 yards for the fifth straight year. After the season, he strongly suggested that he didn’t want to return to the Jets unless Rodgers was on the team.
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