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The Green Bay Packers started their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, but as a lot of people may have noticed, they are missing one key Aaron Rodgers weapon.
Apparently, wide receiver Allen Lazard is holding out from joining the team as he waits for his contract situation to be resolved, per Coral Smith of NFL.com. While the minicamp is described as “mandatory,” Lazard is actually not required to attend it because he hasn't signed the restricted free agent tender the Packers offered him in the offseason. With that said, he is not facing any kind of fine or punishment due to his absence.
If Lazard signs the tender, he would play out his final year with the Packers for a salary of roughly $4 million. Given the money that wideouts are getting recently, the 26-year-old clearly feels he deserves a longer and better paycheck.
For what it's worth, head coach Matt LaFleur doesn't seem worried about the situation as he highlighted that the Packers want Lazard back.
“We'd love for him to be here. Obviously, he's been in our system for a couple years, so I don't have any reservations at all about him knowing what to do,” LaFleur said, per Ryan Wood of Green Bay Post-Gazette.
Allen Lazard has slowly increased his production with the Packers in the past four seasons, establishing himself as a key part of the offense led by Aaron Rodgers. In 2021 alone, he recorded 513 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
After the departure of Davante Adams, Rodgers himself said that Lazard has the opportunity to be their no. 1 option as wideout.
“He’s been our dirty work guy for most of his career here. Now he’s getting an opportunity to be a No. 1 receiver. I’m not worried about him at all stepping into that role,” the Packers QB shared, per Zach Kruse of The Packers Wire.
