Green Bay Packers: Allen Lazard emerging as legitimate receiving threat

Former undrafted receiver Allen Lazard is emerging as a legitimate weapon for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers offense.

If you didn’t know Allen Lazard‘s name before Sunday, you surely know it now. It’s been a long, arduous path to get where he is today in his NFL career, but Lazard is slowly making a name for himself in 2019.

Originally undrafted out of Iowa State, the 6-5, 227-pound Lazard was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars in April of 2018. Not getting drafted was a major surprise. Coming out of high school, Lazard was considered by many publications to be in the top 25 players nationally at his position.

The Cyclones’ all-time leading receiver spent just four months on the Jags’ 90-man roster until he was waived after training camp heading into the 2018 season. He was subsequently signed to the team’s practice squad, where he spent the majority of the season.

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Then the Green Bay Packers came calling last December. Lazard was signed off the Jaguars’ practice squad and recorded his first NFL catch a week later. For a rookie undrafted free agent, it was a big step forward.

Lazard took a small step back this past fall, though. Despite an impressive preseason, he was released at the end of training camp on Aug. 31. Luckily for the Packers, no one offered him a contract, and Lazard was later signed back to the active roster from the practice squad just five days later.

But Lazard would have to wait. It wasn’t until Week 6 against the Detroit Lions when he got his first true shot to prove himself as an NFL-caliber receiver. With the Packers down 22-13 with less than 12 minutes remaining, Lazard entered the game after quarterback Aaron Rodgers pleaded to give him a chance after seemingly nothing else was working.

“I may have put in a good word there in the fourth quarter to get him some opportunities,” Rodgers told ESPN’s Rob Demovsky after the game.

Lazard went on to record four catches for 65 yards and his first NFL touchdown — all on just two offensive drives — as the Packers came from behind to defeat the Lions by a final score of 23-22.

Since then, Lazard hasn’t been as involved in the offense as one might’ve thought. But fast forward to Sunday afternoon against the New York Giants, and it might be time to consider Lazard the Packers’ second-best option at wide receiver.

Exploding for 103 yards and a touchdown on just three catches, Lazard was the spark the Packers needed on more than one occasion. Lazard came up big with plays of 43 and 37 yards on Green Bay’s first two drives. By the end, Lazard had posted his first-ever 100-yard performance, all on 34.3 yards per catch.

Packers head coach had plenty to say about Lazard’s breakout performance against the Giants (via Packers.com):

"“I’m really happy for Allen. Here’s a guy that from the day he got here has been about the right stuff. He gives it his all each and every day. … He’s earned his opportunities. For him to come out with a 100-yard performance and a touchdown and making some key, critical plays in this game, it was really cool to see.”"

With Davante Adams occupying his fair share of attention, is it fair to think Lazard can be a legitimate big-play option for Green Bay’s offense going forward?

After Sunday’s game against the Giants, Lazard now has 22 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns this season. Most notably, Lazard has the best catch rate (75.9 percent) among all Packers wide receivers, and the best passer rating when targeted (135.7) among all Packers offensive players.

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The Packers may have found a diamond in the rough in Lazard. It’s time to polish off the dirt and show off their shiny new toy to the rest of the NFL.

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