SEPTEMBER 4:Â Further testing has confirmed a torn triceps in this case, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports. As a result, Vera-Tucker is headed to injured reserve and will miss the entire campaign. Surgery is now set to take place, Schefter adds.
SEPTEMBER 3, 12:20pm: Vera-Tucker’s injury is believed to be a torn triceps that could end his 2025 season before it even starts, according to Schefter. It is unknown if he tore the same triceps as he did in 2022.
10:52am: Jets right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker “could miss significant time” after suffering a “potentially serious” arm injury, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. His season may even be in jeopardy.
Vera-Tucker is seeking a second opinion on his arm with surgery under consideration, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The injury occurred during positional drills as the Jets prepared for their Week 1 matchup with the Steelers, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes.
This is Vera-Tucker’s third major injury in four years. He missed most of 2022 (torn triceps) and 2023 (ruptured Achilles), but managed to put together a mostly-healthy season in 2024 with only two games missed due to a minor injury. Staying healthy was therefore paramount to his financial future heading into a contract year, but this latest development could significantly impact his next payday. Indeed, ESPN’s Rich Cimini says Vera-Tucker will likely have to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal in 2026, as his latest health concern probably torpedoed his chances of landing a long-term extension until the 2027 offseason.
When healthy, Vera-Tucker has been a steady starter along the Jets’ offensive line, including a career-best 77.7 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2024. The 2021 first-rounder was just named a team captain for the first time in his career and is considered the leader of New York’s offensive line. The coaching staff also appreciated his stability next to rookie right tackle Armand Membou, per Hughes.
Per Connor Hughes of SNY.tv, the Jets will slide third-year center Joe Tippmann to guard and insert Josh Myers at center, which was their solution whenever left guard John Simpson stepped off the field last season.
Brutal. He’s a very good player, but he’s already missed 24 games in his four year career before this. There are worse fallback plans than playing Myers at center and sliding Tippmann to guard, but this is a tough loss.
Also always tough remembering that the Jets traded up for AVT and the Vikings got Darrisaw with the Jets’ original pick,
SMH… As a Jets’ fan since the New York Sack Exchange, this brings up the question: “Why can’t we have nice things?”
Badda bing badda boom…youzz gotz a Joizy accent…whadda be nicer than that? 🙂
As a Jets fan also, I say that every season by October…and I’ve been suffering since the latter years of the Namath era!
Sorry, but teams aren’t going to back up the Brinks trunk for him – he’s developed into an injury-prone player. He isn’t going to play a full-season guaranteed.
I feel for this kid, injury issues have plagued him for the majority of his career. Very talented.
I, too, have old fake another injury to not have to play for that tire fire…
^your brain on PCP