The NY Jets just made the right decision on Alijah Vera-Tucker’s future

The annual NFL Owners Meetings in Palm Beach have come and gone, as another checkpoint is reached in the 2025 offseason. With free agency in the rearview and April here, the New York Jets enter draft season needing to fill multiple roster holes.

One of those holes comes on the offensive line as the Jets must find their new starting right tackle for 2025 and beyond. Despite speculation around Alijah Vera-Tucker potentially making a move away from guard to right tackle, he will stay put.

On Sunday, general manager Darren Mougey revealed that Vera-Tucker will play guard this upcoming season while still noting his flexibility on the offensive line. For the Jets offense, this is the right move to make.

The NY Jets made the right decision by keeping Alijah Vera-Tucker at guard

After being selected 14th overall by the Jets in the 2021 NFL Draft, Vera-Tucker has proven himself to be a versatile offensive lineman. In his first four seasons, the USC product has started 43 games and has played snaps at right tackle, right guard, left guard, and left tackle.

However, last season, in 15 games played, all of Vera-Tucker's 916 snaps came at right guard. The 25-year-old finished the season with a career-high 77.7 Pro Football Focus grade, while allowing just 16 pressures and eight QB hurries, which were third and second-fewest among guards.

The versatile offensive lineman also continued his run-blocking success by finishing the season with a 76.3 run-blocking grade.

The saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" fits perfectly with the state of the Jets' offensive line. While moving Vera-Tucker to right tackle and sliding someone else in at right guard may sound good, it's not necessary after what the team saw last season.

After signing John Simpson and with Joe Tippmann entering year two, the Jets finished the 2024 campaign with one of the better and more underrated interior offensive lines in the league.

Vera-Tucker, Tippmann, and Simpson all ranked top-13 in their respective positions in pressure rate, with the best being Vera-Tucker, who ended the season with a 2.75% pressure rate, finishing fifth among 66 qualified guards.

Simpson and Vera-Tucker also finished top-10 among guards in pass block efficiency. The two of them are the only guard duo in the NFL to finish top-10 in both pressure rate and pass block efficiency.

When looking at the Jets' current offensive line, it is one of the best units they have had in about a decade.

After multiple seasons of moving pieces around resulting in a lack of chemistry, such as the 2023 campaign where New York rolled out 13 different starting combinations, 2024 provides hope that this unit can be the future with all starters at the age of 27 or younger.

It didn't make sense for the Jets to move Vera-Tucker back to right tackle after the interior of this offensive line was very good in 2024. The continued continuity and development of that trio is crucial for the Jets moving forward.

Darren Mougey and the Jets will have a variety of prospects to choose from in the 2025 NFL Draft as to who they want to take over at right tackle. Armand Membou is a name to watch at seventh overall, while Ozzy Trapilo could be someone the Jets take a chance on in day two.

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