The New York Jets will have a wide variety of question marks heading into the 2026 offseason and will have to fill some holes throughout the free agent and draft process.
Luckily, the offensive line, arguably the most important piece for a Jets team likely to have a young quarterback under center in 2026, is set in stone for about four of the five current starters.
New York’s last two first-round picks, tackles Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, will bookend the offensive trenches for the foreseeable future.
Center Josh Myers was inked to a two-year extension last week, and right guard Joe Tippman still has one year remaining on his rookie deal and is likely to be an extension candidate himself.
That leaves the left guard spot, with incumbent starter John Simpson an impending free agent, and more than likely to walk in free agency.
Will the Jets turn to a former first-round pick, who is set to test the market himself, as one of their starting guards for 2026?
Jets Interested in Re-Signing Alijah Vera-Tucker
According to ESPN’s New York Jets insider, Rich Cimini, there is interest from the team in re-signing guard Alijah-Vera Tucker, who hasn’t played a snap this season thanks to a torn tricep in training camp.
“The Jets are interested in retaining Vera-Tucker, who hasn’t played because of a torn triceps, but it’s hard to gauge his market value because of his injury history,” wrote Cimini.
Vera-Tucker, the 14th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has shown Pro Bowl upside when he plays for extended periods of time.
The problem is, he’s unfortunately never able to stay healthy.
AVT stayed healthy throughout his rookie season. but tore his triceps in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
The USC standout then tore his Achilles tendon in Week 5 of 2023 against the Broncos, once again in Denver.
“Never playing in Denver again,” he posted to his Instagram following the second season-ending injury.
Vera-Tucker stayed relatively healthy in 2024, missing only two games and staying at guard all season.
In years past, the Jets had him playing tackle thanks to injuries.
But 2025 would mark his second season-ending triceps injury, and heading into a contract year, it only complicates what kind of market he’s going to have in March.
What Does an Alijah Vera-Tucker Contract Look Like?
So what does a contract extension look like for a high-upside guard who has played in only 43 of 85 possible games in his career?
Back in August, before Vera-Tucker’s injury, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox projected the New York Jets to re-sign their former first-round pick to a four-year, $71 million contract.
“If Vera-Tucker can stay healthy in 2025, he’ll have a chance to be the most coveted lineman in 2026 free agency,” wrote Knox.
“He won’t turn 27 until next offseason, and he’s showcased some positional versatility during his time in New York.”
But given the injury concerns, it’s more likely at this point that AVT signs a one-year deal to prove he can stay healthy before cashing in on a long-term extension in 2027.
Considering the Jets were comfortable allowing the former Trojan to play out his fifth-year option at $15.3 million, that seems like a reasonable number to play on for 2026.
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