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Here is an exchange from Robert Saleh’s June 12 press conference I want to comment on:
Brian Costello, New York Post: How has Allen Lazard’s Spring been? Obviously, he had a tough first year here.
Robert Saleh: I feel like Allen’s (Lazard) come in with a renewed mindset. I’ve said it up here before – It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last time that a free agent who gets a big contract and goes to another team with expectations, a new city, new teammates, new players, kind of falters a little bit. You dig yourself into a whole and then it’s really hard to get out of. I think he’s attacked the heck out of the offseason.
He’s showed up in tremendous shape. He’s like a second coach on the field in that receiver room. He’s been awesome, so I’m grateful that he’s here and really looking forward to him also. I think he’s going to have a really nice bounce back year.
Antwan Staley, New York Daily News: What gives you that confidence that he is going to have a bounce back year?
Saleh: Like I told you, his intent is different this year. His focus is different. Like I said, he doesn’t have nearly the distractions. Everything is more normal. It’s his second year. The area is the same to him, but the work, the intent, the focus, is all renewed. I think he’s just got a renewed focus.
I’m am going to pretty blunt on this one.
He “faltered” last year because the QB play was pretty darn bad after Aaron Rodgers went down.
And since he wasn’t the first option, in basically a one-read passing game, he rarely saw the ball.
When you are not the first-read in a one-read passing attack, if can be pretty darn demoralizing.
“Having a QB that can get beyond the first and second read in a progression, so you know as a receiver you are always in the mix, keeps guys motivated,” said Fox Sports analyst Mark Scheleth recently.
He was actually talking about Rodgers in Green Bay, and why they had some much success with no first-round receivers.
As a scout once told me about the NFL: “Quarterbacks make receivers receivers don’t make quarterbacks.”
Not only did Rodgers not have first-round receivers in Green Bay, neither did Tom Brady in New England (aside from one year with Randy Moss).
There is nothing wrong with Lazard that competent QB play won’t fix.
If Lazard was such a big problem, why are all the guys throwing to him last year, after Rodgers got hurt, no longer with the team?
With all due respect to the coach who is just trying to answer questions and get the hell out of the press room, and who can blame him, I don’t think Lazard’s “intent” or “focus” are any different this year than last year.
He looked fine in the spring and summer of 2023 before Rodgers got hurt. His “intent” and “focus” were fine.
And his problem last year had little to do with “distractions” but more to do with substandard QB play.
I’m not a Lazard apologist. I’ve never met the man (being at a press conference with a player addressing myriad reporters is not meeting somebody). I just have seen this same scenario over and over with the Jets – wide receivers tarred and feathered, for some drops, or not doing more, with essentially a ball and chain around their ankle otherwise known as bad QB play.
As Santonio Holmes famously said during his time with the Jets playing with a struggling QB – “I can’t throw the ball to myself.”
July 2, 2024
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