New York Jets offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker has fallen out of favor, at least according to the experts.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN revealed the top 10 of his interior offensive line rankings on Saturday, July 13. AVT didn’t crack the list of 10 players, nor did he appear on the seven-man honorable mention list, and he didn’t even land on the 11-man club that featured everyone else who received votes.
Last season the former USC product was the first name mentioned in the “others receiving votes” category.
Unsurprisingly, #Jets OL Alijah Vera-Tucker wasn't featured in the top 10 of @JFowlerESPN's IOL rankings ahead of the 2024 season for ESPN.
He wasn't featured in the honorable mention category (included another 7 players). He wasn't even in the others receiving votes category… pic.twitter.com/fD9ECIAHv1
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) July 13, 2024
Vera-Tucker’s original four-year rookie contract is worth $15.8 million. This offseason the green and white accepted his $15.3 million fully guaranteed fifth-year option for 2025. In total his full contract has a value of $31 million.
One Obvious Reason AVT Was Left off of the List
It wasn’t a surprise that Vera-Tucker wasn’t included on any version of the top IOL rankings for ESPN.
AVT hasn’t been able to stay on the field consistently during his NFL career to date. Over the last three years, AVT has missed a total of 23 games due to an array of injuries.
Head coach Robert Saleh admitted this offseason that one of the contributing factors to AVT’s injury issues has been his constant shuffling from position to position on the O-Line.
Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network believes Vera-Tucker can be a “perennial All-Pro.”
DJ isn’t the only one who has shared that sort of commentary when referencing AVT. However, the caveat attached to those conversations is always “when healthy.” Clearly, the more than 80 scouts, coaches, and league execs that were polled by ESPN had heard enough of that excuse.
Vera-Tucker won’t return to that elite list until he actually follows through on staying healthy.
The Jets Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is
Gang Green believes AVT will stay healthy. How do we know that?
The team’s decision to accept his $15.3 million fully guaranteed fifth-year option is a clear indicator that they do. If they didn’t, the Jets would’ve declined that option and rolled the dice.
Now AVT is under contract for the next two seasons through the year 2025. Vera-Tucker is 25 years of age and the reward far outweighs the risk. A healthy AVT is a really good offensive lineman.
He has been dominant in the run game posting Pro Football Focus run-blocking grades of 72.5 (2021), 76.5 (2022), and 82.7 (2023) over the last three years.
If the Jets had declined the fifth-year option, that would have placed themselves in a tough position next offseason.
New York has 10 starters set to hit unrestricted free agency next offseason, 11 if you count restricted free agent Tony Adams. They only have one franchise tag at their disposal to potentially block one of those players at a maximum from hitting the open market.
AVT would’ve increased that number to 12 starters that they could lose next offseason.
It’s a smart calculated risk by the Jets to retain AVT for as long as they can. Accepting the option kicks the can down the road for when they’d have to discuss the possibility of a long-term big-money contract extension.
Hopefully, with that additional time to think, AVT will prove whether he can stay healthy or not. The answer to that question will make the decision much easier for the Jets on whether they should re-sign him or not.
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