The New York Jets lost one of their team captains to a season-ending injury before the football campaign even began.
While that stinks for the Jets in 2025, a pair of insiders revealed the “silver lining” from this devastating injury to Alijah Vera-Tucker.
I actually think this might help his chances of returning to the Jets on a pretty normal contract. I don’t think this is like Oh well, his Jets’ career is over,” NFL Insider Connor Hughes said on “Jets Final Drive.” “I think him returning on a very team-friendly deal in free agency is a very strong possibility now.
“I agree because if there is a silver lining to this injury, it’s that it’s not like he tore his knee up or tore his Achilles, which he has done before. Like a triceps injury, he will get the surgery. I think he is getting it early next week, and Aaron Glenn told us briefly today that he is going to be out for seven months is how long it takes to recover. Then he will be back, and he should be fully healthy and he should be back to normal. He is just a guy who has the injury bug thing,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said on “Jets Final Drive.
AVT Lost a LOT of Money With This Injury
“You bring him back for whatever, a one-year $10 million with incentives, and you let him prove that he deserves a big deal. Unfortunately, he lost himself a lot of money when he tore his triceps in practice,” Rosenblatt explained on “Jets Final Drive.” “We talked to him on Monday about becoming a captain, and by Tuesday, his season was over. It is one of the most Jet things ever, and you just feel so bad for him … I would not rule him out from coming back in 2026.”
NFL analyst Will Parkinson said back in July that, “If AVT plays well this year he’s gonna get a minimum of 4/84+.
That projection would equate to a $21 million per year average on a new deal. That annual salary would rank second-best among the highest-paid right guards in the NFL, per Over The Cap. That $21 million contract per year would be tied for the highest paid left guard in the league.
Vera-Tucker Is a Victim of His Medicals
AVT is in his fifth season in the NFL. In three of his five years, Vera-Tucker has suffered a season-ending injury. The former USC product will have 42 games missed due to injury on his ledger heading into next offseason.
That harsh reality is going to affect AVT’s bottom line. He was scheduled to be a free agent in 2026 and was expected to command a big market.
Vera-Tucker, 26, is a former first round draft choice that has displayed All-Pro potential when healthy. NFL teams would have paid a lot of money for that player on the open market, but these latest injury issues will likely prevent that big money from hitting his bank account.
Instead AVT is likely going to be forced to sign a one-year prove it deal in 2026. If he can deliver a healthy season next year, AVT can get the large bag he is seeking from the Jets or one of the other 31 NFL teams in 2027.
Jets Receive ‘Silver Lining’ News on Season-Ending Alijah Vera-Tucker Injury