There is a lot being said right now about the New York Jets offense. Everything from “Zach Wilson needs to be cut” to “Zach Wilson is the future” and everything in between.

Wilson gets a lot of blame, and deservedly so, for the hot garbage that has been the Jet offense this season, but there are other factors outside of the QB. Outside of Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, NOBODY makes a play for the kid.

Especially, the Jets prized free agent wide receiver, Allen Lazard.

The Jets attempted this off=season to make this a high-powered, QB friendly offense. They brought in Nathaniel Hackett to lead the group. The attempted to fix the offensive line. The brought in former Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook to pair with Breece Hall. And they signed two veteran free agent wide receiver to round out the offense.

Here’s the problem. None of it worked.

The offensive line has been in shambles despite numerous attempts by GM Joe Douglas to improve it. All indications were that the Jets planned to use their first-round pick on an offensive tackle in the 2023 NFL Draft, but by the time they were on the clock, there wasn’t one to be had.

The Jets did bring in some help in the second round with Joe Tippmann, who has lived up to the hype and then some. Douglas even tried to lure Orlando Brown Jr, the biggest free agent tackle available to New York, but he chose to play for less money for the Cincinnati Bengals.

The one spot that must were sure would not be a problem going into the season, was the wide receiver room. After all, they had the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year in Garrett Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers’ best receiver from Green Bay, Allen Lazard, and a speedster from the Kansas City Chiefs in Mecole Hardman.

In reality, outside of Garrett Wilson, the wide receivers have been a non-factor in this offense. Hardman was traded back to the Kansas City Chiefs in mid-October and Lazard has been more of a let-down than an asset.

Lazard has a career-low 54.3% catch rate. He leads all qualified wide receivers with a 20.8% drop rate this season. Randall Cobb, another Jets free agent this year, has a 40% drop rate which would be worst if he received enough targets to qualify. Only 3 other WRs have a drop rate above 15%.

In the past two games, Lazard has three drops and four penalties versus just five receptions in those games. Lazard is a net-negative for the New York Jets offense right now with a quarterback who needs all the help he can get.

Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett understands that Lazard is struggling right now, but he has not lost faith in the $44million man. "I know he's not pleased with what's been going on. We've asked a lot of him and he has to work through that … he has to get through this hump" Hackett said.

Lazard signed with the Jets to play with Aaron Rodgers, but catching the ball is catching the ball and he needs to do it no matter who is throwing it to him. Lazard will look to pick it up this Sunday Night when the Jets face a Las Vegas Raiders defense that only allows 192 yards per game in the air.

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