NFL Rumors: Jets' Allen Lazard Placed on IR with Chest Injury, Out at Least 4 Games
October 31, 2024
New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard will miss at least four games after being placed on injured reserve with a chest injury, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported.
Lazard was already sidelined for last Sunday's Week 8 loss to the New England Patriots, and will now miss Thursday night's Week 9 game against the Houston Texans.
Given the Jets' Week 12 bye, he could return at the earliest on Dec. 8 for a Week 14 game against the Miami Dolphins.
The veteran wideout had made 30 catches for 412 yards and a team-high five receiving touchdowns through seven games. Davante Adams is likely to get more targets from Aaron Rodgers in his absence.
Adams, acquired ahead of Week 7 from the Las Vegas Raiders, has so far totaled seven catches for 84 yards and has yet to record a receiving touchdown through two games as a Jet.
His production has declined in part due to Rodgers, who is struggling with a 2.5 percent interception rate that has him on track for the most turnovers of his career.
With Lazard injured, Rodgers and Adams will need to continue working on their chemistry as they continue working toward the previous connection they established as teammates with the Green Bay Packers.
Lazard's absence means Mike Williams could also see a boost in usage after making just one catch for 15 yards over the Jets' last three games.
Williams played a larger role for the Jets earlier this season, when he caught 10 passes for 145 yards as a No. 3 option behind Garrett Wilson and Lazard. He could now serve a similar function behind Wilson and Adams.
Lazard is in his second season with the Jets after spending the first five years of his career with the Green Bay Packers. He did not practice heading into Week 8 and has again been inactive approaching Week 9.
The Jets fell to 2-6 on the season with last Sunday's loss to the Patriots, putting them at the bottom of the AFC East. The team will lean on Wilson and Adams, while depending on Breece Hall to drive offense on the ground, as they look to salvage their playoff hopes and snap a five-game losing streak with a win over the Texans.