5 most irreplaceable players on the NY Jets roster in 2022

2. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, NY Jets

It's impossible to understate just how valuable Alijah Vera-Tucker is to the Jets. The former first-round pick has already started at four different positions on the offensive line in his first 21 starts as a professional.

He's not just starting, though. He's playing at a high level, regardless of his experience level.

Vera-Tucker switched from guard to left tackle in Week 4, a position he hadn't played since college. He more than held his own. But perhaps his most impressive feat came this past week when Vera-Tucker switched over to right tackle upon the return of Duane Brown.

Despite having never played the position in his life and having received just a few reps at right tackle throughout the week, Vera-Tucker was the Jets' best offensive lineman in Week 5.

Not only that, but he was one of just three offensive tackles in the entire NFL to finish with a Pro Football Focus pass-rush and run-block grade north of 76.0 this week. You could argue that Vera-Tucker was one of the best tackles in football in Week 5.

What Vera-Tucker is doing is almost entirely unprecedented in the modern NFL. Guys like Patrick Mekari of the Baltimore Ravens and Daniel Brunskill of the San Francisco 49ers pride themselves on versatility, but neither plays at the same level as Vera-Tucker.

The only comparable player in the modern NFL might be Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins. If Vera-Tucker keeps this up, he should join Jenkins in the Pro Bowl before long.