Jets expected to take risky offensive line gamble in free agency

The New York Jets have plenty of holes to fill heading into the 2026 offseason, but the offensive line (or at least about 80% of it) is set.

They have their offensive tackles in recent first-round picks Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou. Both have incredible upside and are expected to take another step forward next season.

The interior is looking good as well, with center Josh Myers earning an extension in December, while guard Joe Tippmann, entering the final year of his rookie contract, proved to be a high-quality guard in 2025.

But what about that final spot? Incumbent starter John Simpson is set test free agency, along with former 2021 first-round pick Alijah Vera-Tucker, who missed the entire 2025 season due to a torn tricep.

Both players are certainly possibilities to re-join the Jets and finalize that last vacant spot on the offensive line. But New York seems prepared to take a risk by letting both test their markets entering free agency.

Jets to let John Simpson, Alijah Vera-Tucker test free agency

According to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, both Simpson and Vera-Tucker are not expected sign extensions with the Jets before the start of free agency. Both will be allowed to test the market, and New York will go from there.

"Alijah Vera-Tucker wants to test his market in free agency, so the Jets will have to decide if it’s worth the risk of losing him and being left empty-handed, or re-signing John Simpson instead. As of now, the sense is that Vera-Tucker and Simpson will hit free agency — but that doesn’t mean the Jets will not re-sign one of them."

Zack Rosenblatt

Both players have their pros and cons. Vera-Tucker certainly has Pro Bowl-level upside, but his biggest flaw is his laundry list of injury history. He's suffered season-ending injuries in three of his five professional seasons.

Simpson, on the other hand, is a solid starter. He doesn't miss many games and is respected within the locker room, but his ceiling isn't as high as Vera-Tucker's. Simpson also has a knack for untimely penalties, and regressed from 2024 to 2025.

The Jets allowing both to test the market is a gamble. What if both find new homes and New York is left without a starting guard? It wouldn't be a disaster if they lose both, considering they have four out of five starters set, but the Jets need to be filling holes this offseason, not creating them.

Vera-Tucker is the one who seems to be drawing the most interest coming out of the NFL Combine. His upside is tantalizing for a lot of teams in desperate need of high-end play from the interior.

But if his injury history brings down the price, the Jets should absolutely be interested in retaining their former first-round pick. He was voted a captain last offseason and is clearly well-liked within the organization.

If both guards end up finding new homes, it may lead the Jets to target an interior offensive lineman in the 2026 NFL Draft, and would make Daniel Jeremiah's most recent mock draft all the more prudent.