He’s not at mandatory minicamp and hasn’t signed his contract tender, but Allen Lazard was still specifically identified by quarterback Aaron Rodgers as the player with an opportunity to be the new No. 1 wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers in 2022.
Davante Adams is gone, and no one on the roster can replace him. But Lazard may get the first shot at being the No. 1 in a new Packers offense.
“Excited about Allen Lazard. He’s been our dirty work guy for most of his career here. Now he’s getting an opportunity to be a No. 1 receiver,” Rodgers said Tuesday. “So, I’m not worried at all about him stepping into that role. I talk to him a lot. I know how he takes care of his body. I know he’ll be ready when he’s here.”
Rodgers stressed “production” over “potential” at wide receiver and suggested Lazard, Randall Cobb and Sammy Watkins are currently the top three at the position, likely because they aren’t rookies and have done produced on an NFL field.
Second-round pick Christian Watson and fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs will need time. They will factor in as rookies, but neither can be reasonably expected to be a full-time starter right away. Gaining Rodgers’ trust will take time.
Still, someone must take on the bulk of the over 200 targets that went to Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling last season. Rodgers estimated roughly 80 percent of the passing game was designed with Adams as the primary target, so the offense will evolve to fit the remaining personnel.
Could the new-look Packers scheme feature Lazard, a massive receiver and blocking superstar who has been described as an “enforcer” by coach Matt LaFleur?
Cobb turns 32 in August and is mostly a slot receiver. Watkins is a newcomer coming off two disappointing seasons. The rookies are still learning the offense on paper and haven’t even started digging into the nuances of playing with Rodgers on the field.
Lazard, now entering Year 5 in Green Bay, has the best chance to fill the role once occupied by Adams as the No. 1 target in the passing game.
Over 15 games last season, Lazard caught 40 passes for 513 yards and eight touchdowns – all career-highs. He’s been an efficient pass-catcher in a complementary role in Green Bay over the last three seasons.
Since 2019, Lazard has averaged 9.1 yards per target and 1.47 yards per route run, caught 68.4 percent of his targets, scored 14 touchdowns on 158 targets, created 75 first downs or touchdowns on 108 catches and produced a passer rating of 128.9 when targeted. All are fantastic numbers for a pass-catcher.
If Lazard sees 100 or more targets and still averages right around 9.0 yards per target, he could threaten 1,000 receiving yards in 2022.
But now Lazard won’t be looked at as a complementary option. Attention from defenses will increase, complicating his path to getting the football. He’ll have to beat better coverage players to get open. More catches will be contested. Everything about playing the position will be more difficult without eyes on Adams and safeties worried about Valdes-Scantling’s speed.
But Lazard has a few trump cards in his hand: the unwavering trust of the four-time league MVP, and a playcaller who knows how to scheme open players. He isn’t going to transform into Davante Adams overnight, but having Rodgers throw him passes and LaFleur design him plays is nothing short of a goldmine for a wide receiver.
Once he reports to Green Bay for training camp in late July, Lazard’s quest to be the new No. 1 for Rodgers and the Packers will truly begin. As of early June, he’s the favorite.
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