Jets OL Alijah Vera-Tucker named top candidate for 2024 breakthrough

The New York Jets have been patiently waiting for Alijah Vera-Tucker’s breakout season, which could come in 2024 as the team attempts to make a Super Bowl run.

Vera-Tucker has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons. With a clean bill of health in 2024, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder predicts a breakthrough season for him.

“Staying healthy will be key to a good campaign for Vera-Tucker, as he’s played in just 12 games over the past two years,” Holder wrote. “And with the free-agent acquisitions of Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, and the Jets selecting Olu Fashanu in the first round of the draft, the USC product could remain at guard instead of having to play multiple positions as he’s done in the past.”

There are a lot of new faces on the Jets’ offensive line, which could take some of the pressure off Vera-Tucker as he finds his feet in his fourth NFL season.

Alijah Vera-Tucker’s football career

Although he struggled at the NFL level, Vera-Tucker was very successful in American football before his professional career.

Vera-Tucker was a 4-star recruit out of high school in Oakland who decided to stay in his home state to play for the USC Trojans despite offers from Michigan, Texas A&M and others.

The Trojans returned two seasons after skipping their freshman year. He played both guard and tackle, earning All-Pac-12 honors in both seasons. That versatility and his play on the court helped him get picked up by the Jets in the first round of the 2021 draft.

Despite a promising rookie year, Vera-Tucker has struggled in the NFL. He has been bounced around multiple positions at the NFL level and has suffered season-ending injuries to his triceps and Achilles tendon over the past two seasons.

Fortunately, head coach Robert Saleh is trying to keep Vera-Tucker in one position in 2024. As long as he stays healthy, he can finally have a stable season this year.

New York’s New Offensive Line

Vera-Tucker is a seasoned veteran at this point, but the Jets have brought in a slew of new faces to revamp their offensive line.

Tyron Smith is the biggest star coming to New York. A five-time All-Pro for the Dallas Cowboys, Smith joined the Jets this offseason on a one-year deal. He will likely play left tackle, with first-round pick Olu Fashanu getting a year to potentially learn behind the future Hall of Famer.

Meanwhile, the Jets added a couple of other veterans to the offensive line. Morgan Moses and John Simpson were also brought in this offseason to be starting-caliber linemen.

The Jets are also hoping for a second-year jump from center Joe Tippmann. A second-round pick in 2023, he showed flashes of legitimate talent as a starter for the Jets. He was a promising prospect coming out of Wisconsin, and could develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber center with plenty of play.

All of these players should ensure that Aaron Rodgers stays clean in the pocket in 2024. However, a large part of the offensive line’s success will depend on a breakout year for Vera-Tucker.