After Friday's 34-13 loss to the Dolphins, coach Robert Saleh said Lazard (coach's decision) was benched for the game as "kind of a challenge to see if he can recapture the edge and who he is and the person that we have a lot of faith in" before adding that Lazard "will be back sooner rather than later," Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.
Lazard has struggled since signing a four-year, $44 million contract with the Jets prior to the 2023 season. He had just 20 catches for 290 yards and one touchdown through 10 games before being left inactive for Friday's loss, though New York once again got minimal contributions from wide receivers other than Garrett Wilson. The first two years of Lazard's contract include $22 million in guaranteed money, but the Jets can cut him after that with minimal salary cap ramifications. The veteran wide receiver is healthy and could be reinserted into the game-day lineup as soon as Week 13 against the Falcons.