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Zach Wilson was not the only Jets offensive player benched this week.
Wide receiver Allen Lazard was inactive for Friday’s game against the Dolphins, a stunner considering the Jets gave him a four-year, $44 million contract this offseason.
Lazard received $22 million guaranteed in that deal, the most guaranteed money given to any free agent wide receiver this offseason.
Lazard has been terrible in his first season as a Jet. He has just 20 receptions for 290 yards and a touchdown in 10 starts. He also has dropped five passes, per PFF.
When Jets coach Robert Saleh addressed the situation after the game, he referenced Lazard only being a Jet for another year and a half, even though Lazard has three years remaining on his contract after this year.
“There’s things we all need to get better at, including him,” Saleh said. “He’s going to be here for the next year and a half. He’s going to be a part of this. Just want to make sure one, I wanted to give some of the young guys an opportunity to play and two, it’s kind of a challenge to see if he can recapture the edge and who he is and the person we have a lot of faith in.
“He’s a good football player. I do believe that.”
The Jets signed Lazard in March as part of their push to land quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was also a driving force behind signing Lazard.
Both Rodgers and Hackett had been with Lazard in Green Bay.
Maybe things would have differently for Lazard if Rodgers had not torn his left Achilles tendon four snaps into the season.
But with no Rodgers, Lazard has been a non-factor in a Jets offense that has scored just nine touchdowns in 10 games.
Lazard’s best game was against the Chiefs when he had three receptions for 61 yards and his lone touchdown.
Lazard, who turns 28 in next month, is not going anywhere.
The Jets are stuck with him through next season. It would be an $18.7 million dead money charge to the salary cap to release him after this season.
The Jets also had LT Mekhi Becton (ankle) inactive. Saleh said they hope Becton can return next week against the Falcons. … CB Michael Carter II (hamstring) was inactive.
OT Duane Brown was activated off of IR on Thursday but did not play offense in Friday’s game.
He did play special teams. Saleh said Brown could play offense next week.
“As for Duane, activated him, try to give him one more week to get his mind right,” Saleh said. “He probably could have played today but it was a little bit late in the week when we all felt comfortable with where we were with him.We had dressed him, obviously, for an emergency only.
“We’ll see if we can him back in the fold next week.”
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