Allen Lazard a healthy scratch for Jets in season opener vs. Steelers
Receiver inactive despite no injury designation as Jets’ depth-chart shuffle leaves WR2 spot unsettled
Allen Lazard was listed inactive Sunday for the New York Jets’ season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium, a surprise healthy scratch that underscores uncertainty at the team’s No. 2 receiver spot.
Lazard did not appear on the Jets’ injury report during the week, the team announced, making his absence from the active roster a coaching decision rather than an injury-related move. The veteran wideout had been expected to compete for the WR2 role alongside Garrett Wilson during training camp but failed to secure the job.
With Lazard inactive, the Jets’ receiver group outside of Wilson will be led by free-agent additions and a recent practice-squad elevation. Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson, both low-cost offseason signings, are part of the active lineup; Johnson was elevated from the practice squad on Saturday. Rookie third-round pick Arian Smith is also expected to see snaps. Reynolds signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal this offseason, and Johnson agreed to a one-year, $775,000 contract.
Lazard, 30, signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Jets in March 2023 and has produced modest returns since joining the team. Over the past two seasons he recorded a combined 60 receptions for 841 yards and seven touchdowns. He agreed to an $8.5 million pay cut in April, reducing his 2025 base salary to $2.25 million, per Spotrac. Lazard is scheduled to reach free agency next year.
The roster decision comes under the Jets’ new front-office and coaching regime, which did not bring Lazard to the team. Lazard was previously teammates with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, a relationship that factored into the Jets’ original decision to sign him. Rodgers and the prior Jets regime are no longer with the organization.
Coaches did not provide additional details on the decision to list Lazard inactive. His absence leaves the WR2 designation an open question as the Jets open the season with a receiver corps heavy on depth signings, a rookie, and the established playmaking of Wilson.
The scratch also raises roster and usage questions early in the season. If the Jets continue to favor Reynolds, Johnson and Smith over Lazard, the move could affect the veteran’s role moving forward and his standing ahead of free agency. The team’s offense will open the 2025 campaign without a clear second target behind Wilson, a dynamic that could influence game plans and personnel moves as the season progresses.
