On the eve of the Jets’ season opener against the Steelers Sunday at MetLife Stadium, which is being billed as a new beginning under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn, the team has been dealt a debilitating blow.
Starting right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker has a torn triceps, according to ESPN, and is facing the possibility of surgery that could end his season before it begins. Vera-Tucker is reportedly seeking a second opinion to see if he can avoid surgery.
But news is not expected to be positive for the 26-year-old who’s in the final year of his rookie contract, playing in his fifth-year option that’s paying him $15.3 million this year.
Alijah Vera-Tucker could miss significant time this season. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
According to ESPN, Vera-Tucker tore his left triceps. His 2022 season ended in Week 7, when he tore his right triceps.
The Jets, who had no practice on Wednesday, declined to comment on the injury, but Vera-Tucker was listed in the injury report as having not participated in the team walk-through because of a triceps injury
The injury must have taken place during Tuesday’s practice, because Vera-Tucker took part in team drills during the period the practice was open to the media. He was not present in the locker room after practice during the 45-minute period that’s open to the media, which is somewhat of a rarity for Vera-Tucker.
This is the latest blow to Vera-Tucker’s promising career, which was interrupted by that season-ending torn triceps in the team’s Week 7 win at Denver and, in 2023, by a torn Achilles in Week 5, also in Denver.
Vera-Tucker was an immediate starter in his rookie year after being drafted 14th overall, playing in 16 games. Then came the triceps injury in 2022 and the Achilles in 2023.
Alijah Vera-Tucker during Jets training camp. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
Last season he started 15 of 17 games, missing Week 8 and 9 with an ankle sprain.
“This is the best I’ve ever felt coming off an offseason,” Vera-Tucker said before training camp.
He’s the longest-tenured offensive lineman on the team and was just voted a team captain by his peers last week. He was expected to be a critical piece on the right side of the line as a mentor to No. 1 draft pick Armand Membou, who’s starting as a rookie at right tackle.
Membou is expected to see a lot of Steelers star edge rusher T.J. Watt on Sunday.
This injury is a killer for the Jets, who’ve made it no secret that their offensive mantra is running the ball. That also means protecting new quarterback Justin Fields, who’s not known for his throwing prowess and has a reputation for holding onto the ball too long.
The likely shift on the line in Vera-Tucker’s absence will be moving incumbent center Joe Tippmann to right guard and starting Josh Myers, who was competing for the center job with Tippmann at center.
In other Jets injury news, CB Sauce Gardner was on the injury list as a partial participant in the walk-through with a fibula ailment. Backup QB Tyrod Taylor was listed as the same with a knee ailment. In both cases these are leftover issues from training camp and both are expected to be fine for the game.