Jets WR Allen Lazard Breaks Silence On Aaron Rodgers' Departure

The New York Jets opted to cut Aaron Rodgers at the beginning of the offseason and this decision may not have impacted anybody as much as it will impact wide receiver Allen Lazard.

Lazard and Rodgers have played together for quite some time, both in Green Bay and in New York. After Rodgers left the Green Bay Packers, Lazard followed suit to the Jets shortly after. Now with Fields at the helm, Lazard is entering unchartered territory with a new quarterback.

Lazard has finally spoken out about Rodgers' departure and what it means for himself, considering he's long been one of Rodgers' favorite targets.

"That's pretty obvious," Lazard said, according to The New York Post. "My success isn't determined off of who's throwing me the ball (or) how we're trying to approach it. I want to go out there and be great regardless of the other 10 guys out there. It's the pride that I have by putting that jersey on, wearing the name on my back and also representing the organization that I'm playing for.

"So whoever's throwing me the ball, I'm gonna go out there and compete the same way that I did whether it was Aaron or not. And I've done that my whole career, not just the NFL, college, high school. There's a reason why I'm still here. It's not just cause I had Aaron Rodgers throwing me the ball my whole life."

At the end of the day, Rodgers makes all the wide receivers around him better, but that certainly doesn't mean Lazard can't operate without his favorite quarterback.

Lazard is a serviceable option for the Jets with solid route running and good hands. He's a good blocker and provides a veteran presence for the Jets young wide receiver room.

It seems like the veteran wide receiver is ready to put the Rodgers era of his career behind him. Now, he has to prove himself right, that he's not just a product of a Hall of Fame quarterback. This season with the Jets is his time to do that.