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NY Jets OL Alijah Vera-Tucker uncertain he'll be ready for Week 1 in 2024

Yesterday, 07:19 PM
 
NY Jets OL Alijah Vera-Tucker uncertain he'll be ready for Week 1 in 2024

Alijah Vera-Tucker might not be ready for the start of the 2024 season

By Justin Fried | 9:00 AM EST

The NY Jets will be looking to make some changes to their offensive line in the future, but one player they're relying on to be an important part of the unit in 2024 is Alijah Vera-Tucker.

Vera-Tucker has missed large parts of the last two seasons due to injury, but the former first-round pick remains the team's most talented offensive lineman and is penciled into a starting role next season.
The Jets haven't decided where they plan to play Vera-Tucker in 2024, but he will be counted on as a cornerstone of the team's offense. That is, of course, if he's healthy.

Vera-Tucker spoke to reporters on Monday for the first time since the torn Achilles he suffered in October, and he provided an update of sorts on his injury rehab. It wasn't necessarily a positive update, although it wasn't a negative update either.


Vera-Tucker told reporters that doctors have yet to provide a timeline for his recovery from injury and that his status for Week 1 is still up in the air. The former USC star mentioned that his injury was not a "traditional" Achilles tear, in the sense that the tear occurred higher in his calf than the usual spot.
This could cause complications with his rehab process and potentially increase the time it takes for him to recover. That much remains to be seen, but Vera-Tucker is happy about one thing. The Jets won't be playing in Denver in 2024.

Vera-Tucker has suffered season-ending injuries in consecutive seasons, both of which came on the road in October games against the Broncos. The Jets will actually play the Broncos again in 2024, but this time, it'll be at MetLife Stadium.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh made it clear on Monday that the team plans to keep Vera-Tucker at one position next season, suggesting that the constant position switching could've contributed to his injury troubles.

A torn triceps ended Vera-Tucker's 2022 season after just seven games, while the torn Achilles cut his 2023 season short after only five. When healthy, Vera-Tucker has been the Jets' best offensive lineman, but consecutive major injuries have some concerned about his future health.

The Jets will hope to see Vera-Tucker on the field come Week 1, but there's a good chance he will miss most, if not all, of the summer and potentially some regular-season time. It would be wise for the Jets to have contingency plans.
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3 minutes ago, neckdemon said:

vera tucker can't be relied on for next year. 

Yup.  Which means 4 of the 5 OL position needs to be replaced in the off-season.

Does anyone think Joe Douglas is up to that task?  The guy didn't even attempt to fill the either T position last off-season with capable starters.  How can anyone expect him to fill 4 spots on the OL?

This with a 41 year old QB coming off a season ending ACL.

 

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2 minutes ago, FidelioJet said:

Yup.  Which means 4 of the 5 OL position needs to be replaced in the off-season.

Does anyone think Joe Douglas is up to that task?  The guy didn't even attempt to fill the either T position last off-season with capable starters.  How can anyone expect him to fill 4 spots on the OL?

This with a 41 year old QB coming off a season ending ACL.

 

it's the grim reality. chances are the o-line isn't very good next year either. maybe a bit better, but it's gonna be tough to find 4 quality starters. 

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This solidifies the reality that we're going to have to take at least 2-3 OL in the draft, and 2-3 in FA. Anything less will be a complete disaster. Right now that is the most important position on the team. We can live with the promotions of Brownlee and Irvwin next year along with the courting of other FA's. Rogers should have plenty of time this offseason to practice with the lot. I also think that Ruckert, Conklin, Yeboah, and Kuntz should work out as our TE's, giving us more flexibility to get another WR in FA.

If I'm JD and I want to keep my job, this is the direction I'm leaning for my 2024 plan.

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1 hour ago, FidelioJet said:

Yup.  Which means 4 of the 5 OL position needs to be replaced in the off-season.

Does anyone think Joe Douglas is up to that task?  The guy didn't even attempt to fill the either T position last off-season with capable starters.  How can anyone expect him to fill 4 spots on the OL?

This with a 41 year old QB coming off a season ending ACL.

 

I wouldn’t let him pick a parking spot at an all you can eat buffet. 

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4 hours ago, FidelioJet said:

Yup.  Which means 4 of the 5 OL position needs to be replaced in the off-season.

Does anyone think Joe Douglas is up to that task?  The guy didn't even attempt to fill the either T position last off-season with capable starters.  How can anyone expect him to fill 4 spots on the OL?

This with a 41 year old QB coming off a season ending ACL.

 

I think we're toast.... warm buttery toast.

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Having read this, I fully expect the Jets to assume that he's starting week 1 and do nothing to fill the position. 

By the time he rushed back (week 4), the o- line will be a disaster and he'll be seen as our saviour. He'll tear both achillies and rupture his spleen in week 6 when attempting to play centre, left tackle and right guard on the same play. 

After another catastrophic year of o-line play sees us collapse to 6-11, Bingo Bob and Jack Daniels will spread their arms wide and say "injuries, what can you do?" JD will promise that he'll concentrate on the o-line next year. Saleh will say that 2025 is going to be the year for the Jets because eagles can't fly backwards and the planets are due to align. Both will sign new 5 year contracts. 

 

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