Entertainment

Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard are the Aaron Rodgers translators the Jets need

“My guys.’’

That’s what Bill Parcells used to call the players he’d previously coached whom he took with him to his next job.

Those players — from Maurice Carthon to Pepper Johnson to Aaron Glenn to Matt Chatham and many more — were invaluable to the Hall of Fame coach, who went from the Giants to the Patriots to the Jets to the Cowboys as a head coach and always brought a group of those guys with him.

Not only could those players still perform effectively enough to help Parcells’ teams win, but they helped spread his message around the locker room, teaching the other players about his standards and expectations.

Fast-forward to the 2023 Jets with their celebrated offseason acquisition Aaron Rodgers. The former Packers superstar quarterback, has, in effect, brought some of his guys with him from Green Bay to the Jets in receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.

Those players, of course, wouldn’t be on the Jets if head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas didn’t think they could still catch passes and help the team win.

As Saleh said this week, Rodgers is as close to coach as there is without actually being on the staff. And the likes of Lazard and Cobb, both of whom were productive with Rodgers in Green Bay, are an extension of Rodgers inside the locker room and meeting rooms.

“As a coach, sometimes we bring in guys who we are familiar with to help, [because] they know our messaging, they know our scheme,’’ Saleh said Monday. “It’s no different for a player, no different for a quarterback. Speaking from my shoes as a coach and what we look for, I would imagine it helps [Rodgers] a lot.

“Sometimes when something new is being presented, it can sound like a foreign language, so having another voice who knows from a receiver standpoint [helps]. You teach something, but receivers might be receiving that thing a little bit differently, so a guy like Randall and Allen could say, ‘Hey, this is what he means’ in receiver language and they’re like, ‘Oh, OK.’

“It’s player-to-player conversation and those moments are very powerful, sometimes more powerful than coaching.’’

Neither Lazard nor Cobb is likely to catch 100 passes or score 20 touchdowns this season. Lazard, 27, caught a career-high 60 passes last season and has 168 receptions for 2,229 yards and 20 TDs in his last four seasons in Green Bay. Cobb, 32, is in is 13th season and is more of a third-down specialist. He caught 34 passes for 417 yards and a TD last season.

Randall Cobb spent 10 of his first 12 seasons playing with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.Bill Kostroun for the NY Post

But their presence can also be crucial to the chemistry of this team as they spread the Rodgers message throughout the locker room and help the uninitiated understand the standard the Hall of Fame-bound quarterback expects out of those around him.

The numbers for both receivers are modest at best. But their value stretches beyond the numbers.

“Having me, Randall, Billy [Turner, a tackle who played in Green Bay], even Adrian [Amos, a former Packers safety] and [former Packers running back Damarea] Crockett — guys that were in Green Bay and know the culture, know the standard and seeing what greatness looks like,’’ Lazard said Monday. “When we’re having our individual meetings, Aaron’s not in there talking about this or that. But being in so many meetings with him and having experience with him on the field, we are able to speak for him as to what he would be thinking in certain situations.’’

Allen Lazard signed a four-year deal with the Jets in the offseason.Noah K. Murray for the NY Post

Cobb, who’s played with Rodgers for 10 of his 12 NFL seasons, echoed Lazard’s sentiments, joking with an inquiring reporter by saying, “So, you want the gospel of Aaron Rodgers?’’

“We’ve had opportunity to play with him for a long time, so we know what to expect, we know what he’s looking for,’’ Cobb said of himself and Lazard. “Playing with great quarterbacks like Tom Brady, they’re very particular in the way that they do things, the way they go about it and how to get to certain calls. And [us] being able to pass on that knowledge is going to be huge for us.’’

Aaron Rodgers, pictured during training camp, was traded to the Jets during the offseason.

Related Posts

Bronze, the son of Patrick Mahomes, receives a unique present from an unusual Chiefs player

There are plenty of perks to being Patrick Mahomes’ 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. The Kansas City Chiefs are once again in the middle of a magical season. A team that has made the Super…

El momento más tierno en la historia del tenis: el adorable hijo de Rafa Nadal y Mery ilumina al público en el emotivo último partido de despedida de su padre

El último partido de la carrera de Rafael Nadal fue muy emotivo, no solo para el mundo del tenis, sino también para su familia y sus seguidores de…

ไวรัล เจอซุปตาร์คนนี้ที่วินมอเตอร์ไซค์ คนโฟกัสพี่วินผู้หญิง ขี่รถตัวเกร็ง นั่งซะห่างเชียว !

คนเห็นดาราคนนี้ มาซ้อนพี่วินมอเตอร์ไซค์ เลยเข้าไปขอถ่ายรูปด้วย แต่หลายคนไม่ม องดารา กลับไปโฟกัสที่พี่วินผู้หญิง ยิ้มหน้าบานไม่ไหว ขี่รถไป เกร็งไปแล้วจ้า ล่าสุด 27 พฤศจิกายน 2567 ได้มีคนไปเห็นหนุ่มณเดชน์ ที่กำลังข้ามถนนจะไปขึ้นวินมอเตอร์ไซค์ และพอดีได้จังหวะกับที่มีแฟนคลับมาเห็น เลยขอถ่ายรูปไว้ ณเดชน์ก็ยอมให้ถ่ายรูปโดยไม่ถือตัว ภาพจาก Instagram up2youha อย่างไรก็ตาม งานนี้กลับไม่ค่อยมีคนโฟกัสที่หนุ่มณเดชน์มากเท่ากับพี่วินผู้หญิง ที่แม้จะใส่แมสก์ แต่ก็ปิดความเขินแก้มแตกไว้ไม่ได้ และพอณเดชน์กระโดดขึ้นซ้อนท้าย จะเห็นได้เลยว่าพี่วินมอเตอร์ไซค์หญิงดูท่าจะเกร็งจัด ๆ…

In the teaser for her new podcast, Kylie Kelce declares that she will “not stop cursing” in front of 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren

Kylie recently announced the couple is expecting again. Kylie Kelce, the wife of former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, has captivated NFL fans with her unapologetic persona, and now the…

“Everything Is Romantic,” Kourtney Kardashian says in an inside look at her life with son Rocky.

The Poosh founder shared a carousel post of recent family moments with her 1-year-old son on Monday, Nov. 25 Kourtney Kardashian Barker is giving fans a glimpse at life…

When Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas invite Bollywood’s best to their third wedding celebration, she sparkles in a silver gown and diamonds.

They got married earlier this month at the Umaid Bhawan palace in Jodhpur, sealing their union with both Christian and Hindu ceremonies. And this Thursday, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas held their…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *