Jets Starter Projected to Sign Shockingly Low 1-Year, $3 Million Deal

The Jets should be able to retain Alijah Vera-Tucker if his recent contract projection is accurate...

Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; New York Jets center Joe Tippmann (66) walks to the line of scrimmage with offensive tackle Morgan Moses (left) and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (center) during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The New York Jets are in the midst of a rebuild, which means they're likely going to lean heavily on the NFL draft to build their roster. Considering they have the No. 2, No. 16, and No. 33 picks in the upcoming draft.

But they can't afford to overlook free agency, especially considering how many starters they have on the market. Breece Hall and Quincy Williams are both free agents with Williams expected to leave. Alijah Vera-Tucker is also a free agent, but he seems like quite a wild card this offseason.

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Daniel Popper of The Athletic recently ranked Vera-Tucker as one of the top 150 free agents of the offseason and projected him to sign a one-year, $3 million deal this offseason.

Alijah Vera-Tucker should land a decent sized free agency deal

Jul 24, 2025; Florham Park, NY, USA; New York Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (75) speaks to the media during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

"Vera-Tucker was on pace to be very high in these rankings after the 2024 season. But he tore his triceps before the start of the 2025 regular season and missed the entire year," Popper wrote. "He has now suffered three season-ending injuries in five years in the NFL. He tore the triceps on his other arm in 2022 and was limited to five games. He tore his Achilles in 2023 and was limited to seven games.

"The tape is really good when he is on the field. Vera-Tucker is super athletic and has excellent hands in pass protections. But can teams trust him to stay healthy? Vera-Tucker is worth a flier, but a contingency plan is needed."

Vera-Tucker was one of the Jets top starters until he suffered an injury that caused him to miss all of last year. As a result, he's projected to sign a very affordable one-year deal. If this is the case with his market, the Jets should be all over it to bring him back.

Unfortuantely for New York, this projection feels very low. It's more likely that Vera-Tucker signs for around $8 million than it is that he signs for $3 million.

Either way, the Jets should try to bring him back. He's the perfect leader to place in the middle of their offensive line.

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