All seemed well for the New York Jets heading into their Week 1 preparation for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their new coaching staff looked prepared, the players were healthy, and fortunes seemed to be beginning to turn in Florham Park, NJ.
Finally.
Then Tuesday’s practice happened.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Wednesday morning that Jets starting right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered a “potentially serious” injury to his upper body during a non-physical part of practice. Adam Schefter later reported that the team feared AVT would suffer a torn triceps injury that would end his season.
Now, instead of having a complete collection of top players, New York may have just lost a central part of their team.
Unlike past years, though, the organization is better equipped and prepared to handle a loss like Vera-Tucker’s—even for an extended period.
The Jets will be ok without AVT
In years past, the loss of AVT would have been a crucial blow for the organization.
While the team’s win percentage is lower when the guard is on the field (30 percent to 36 percent when off it), the Jets simply haven’t had the stabilizing force alongside Vera-Tucker on the offensive line.
That doesn’t mean the 2025 Jets are doomed yet, though. In fact, there are three key reasons why the organization will be okay without its captain along the offensive line—even if he is lost for the year.
Joe Tippmann is more than serviceable
The Jets do not need to shop for a free agent guard now. They have the perfect replacement ready for Vera-Tucker in Week 1.
Joe Tippmann’s battle at center has been well documented all offseason. He finished as a top 10 center in the league by Pro Football Focus, but looked even better on tape at guard. He’s the kind of stabilizing veteran that will be more than serviceable for the Jets’ offensive line moving forward.
Vera-Tucker’s loss is gut-wrenching, but Tippmann is more than up to the task.
Tackle solutions limit expectations
A big reason Vera-Tucker has been such an important piece to the Jets’ offensive line is that the organization has been unsure about its tackles across the board.
That won’t be happening this time around. With Olu Fashanu and seventh-overall rookie Armand Membou in place, the Jets believe they have their stalwart tackles for the future decade.
There will be plenty of uneven moments for Membou, but his upside is there, and it’s a reason for optimism.
SEE ALSO: The Domino Effect on OL that AVT's Injury CausesAaron Glenn is different
Past coaches on the Jets staff would see a key injury like Vera-Tucker’s and already feel doomed. Under the previous regime, the staff would be looking to do just enough not to get fired.
That isn’t Aaron Glenn, though.
Since his return to New York, Glenn has been focused on changing the team’s culture as quickly as possible. That shift also involves making sure the “next man up” strategy fits well within the locker room’s psyche.
We don’t know how good head coach Glenn will be or if he can turn around New York’s past losing ways. What we do know, though, is that he’ll have the team ready to play regardless of who is on the field.
Jets fans are accustomed to experiencing major injuries en route to total disasters—mainly due to the lack of qualified coaching. If head coach Aaron Glenn, offensive line coach Steve Heiden, and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand are the real deal, they’ll overcome the loss of Alijah Vera-Tucker.
This is the case and the proper mindset, despite the reality of this Wednesday gut-punch across New York Jets fandom.
