Green Bay Packers: 5 Players to watch in Preseason Week 2 vs. Ravens
By Joe Kipp
2. Allen Lazard, WR
Second-year former undrafted free agent receiver Allen Lazard only had one catch against the Texans in Preseason Week 1, but it was arguably the best play of the entire game. On a 27-yard skinny post up the right sideline, backup quarterback Tim Boyle fired in a perfect pass above the defender for Lazard to sky up and high-point the catch, only where he could get it.
Lazard may not be the sixth or even seventh option at receiver at the moment, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been impressive. The 6-5, 227-pound giant showed against Houston he has what it takes to be a legitimate red-zone threat for Aaron Rodgers if he makes the team. The only problem is that he needs more meaningful reps to prove it on a consistent basis.
Perhaps head coach Matt LaFleur and the rest of the offensive coaching staff will give Lazard more opportunities with the first- and second-team offense against the Ravens. Although Lazard played 28 snaps against the Texans, the majority came in the fourth quarter with the third-team offense, a sign Lazard has a long way to go to catch up to his peers. It’ll be interesting to see how many snaps he gets in the first half against Baltimore.