The New York Jets need to get aggressive with their upcoming contract extensions.
Alijah Vera-Tucker is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2025. The previous regime accepted the $15.3 million fifth-year team option on AVT’s contract last May.
That massive cap hit is fully guaranteed and the entirety of that is hitting the 2025 cap. It would behoove the team to be forward thinking by getting an extension done early.
According to Spotrac’s calculated market value projections, AVT is projected to sign a four-year deal for $44.7 million on his next extension. That new $11.2 million annual salary would place AVT No. 18 among the highest paid guards in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
AVT Is a Promising Building Block for the Jets Present and Future
Vera-Tucker, 25, entered the league as the No. 14 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. The Jets traded up with the Minnesota Vikings from the No. 23 overall spot to secure the former USC product.
Across his four seasons in the NFL, AVT has appeared and started in 43 games. However he has never started a full season in his career.
In 2022, Vera-Tucker tore his triceps and missed the final 10 games of that season. In 2023, AVT blew out his Achilles and missed the final 12 games of the year.
Jets X-Factor analyst Joe Blewett sees “All Pro” potential in AVT when he is healthy. Early in his career, the Jets asked him to move around a lot. The only position he hasn’t played at the NFL level is center, according to Pro Football Focus.
Left tackle: 70 snaps
Left guard: 1027 snaps
Right guard: 1249 snaps
Right tackle: 279 snaps
The two seasons that AVT played in the most amount of games during his career, he only played one position in each of those years.
Jets Have a Lot of Big Money Contract Decisions on the Horizon
There are two primary reasons why the Jets should be proactive in the AVT contract negotiations.
AVT’s $15.3 million cap hit is entirely on the books in 2025. A new contract extension could lower that cap hit dramatically for this season and create some more flexibility moving forward.
The Jets have a bevy of players set to hit free agency next year: guard John Simpson, linebacker Quincy Williams, running back Breece Hall, and the aforementioned AVT.
If the Jets decline any of the fifth year options for cornerback Sauce Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, or pass rusher Jermaine Johnson they would be added to that list. If the Jets accept any of those options, they would have to eat each of those massive fully guaranteed cap hits on the 2026 books.
Each NFL team has a maximum of one franchise tag to use each offseason. The Jets have a first world problem having a lot of talented football players all due to get paid. They can do themselves a solid by looking ahead instead of kicking the can to 2026.
Vera-Tucker is coming off of a career season in PFF’s overall grade (77.7) and pass block grade (74.5). AVT is only 25 years of age at a premium position on the offensive line.
Head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey said at the NFL combine that they aren’t in the business of letting good football players walk out of the door.
It’s time to put their money where their mouth is.
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