On Wednesday morning, the Dallas Cowboys made a surprising trade for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. The fallout included a new trade rumor involving the New York Jets.
With Pickens leaving a hole in Pittsburgh’s depth chart, Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard has come up in trade rumors after the Pickens deal. The connection makes sense, as Pittsburgh remains the lone potential landing spot for Lazard’s longtime friend and quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
Apparently, Lazard has seen the rumors, and he has a message for Jets fans.
Taking to X shortly after the trade, Lazard posted a clip of Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Wolf of Wall Street,” in which DiCaprio (as Jordan Belfort) famously says, “I’m not f****** leaving.”
Professional athletes often reference this scene to let fans know they plan on staying put.
Going into this offseason, Lazard was entering the third year of a four-year, $44 million deal that he signed in 2023. In April, Lazard and the Jets agreed to a restructured contract that included an $8.5 million pay cut to keep Lazard in New York (for the time being).
Lazard’s 2025 cap number dropped from $13.2 million to $4.6 million. The Jets will be on the hook for $4.368 million in dead money when Lazard’s contract voids in 2026.
While this restructured deal could allow the Jets to keep Lazard on the roster for a justifiable price, it also makes him a feasible trade candidate. The Jets likely won’t fetch anything more than a conditional day-three pick for the drop-prone receiver, but getting any sort of return would be better than nothing.
Pittsburgh was already an ideal landing spot due to the potential Rodgers connection. With Pickens gone, the Steelers have a need for a big-bodied wideout, and Lazard could fill the void (to a less effective degree).
Despite Lazard’s reassurance on social media, do not be surprised if his name reappears in trade rumors when Rodgers eventually signs with Pittsburgh. Or, maybe Lazard knows something we don’t – that Rodgers is calling it quits – prompting his confidence that he will remain in New York.
