New York Jets proper sort out Alijah Vera-Tucker, the group’s finest and most versatile offensive lineman, will miss the remainder of the season after tearing an Achilles tendon, an MRI revealed Monday.
It is the second straight season-ending damage for Vera-Tucker, they usually each occurred in the identical stadium — Empower Area at Mile Excessive in Denver.
Vera-Tucker tore a triceps tendon final Oct. 23 within the second quarter of a Jets victory over the Broncos. As soon as once more, he was felled within the second quarter of a win, this time by a rating of 31-21. He was injured on a benign play — move blocking towards linebacker Jonathon Cooper. Vera-Tucker tore the tendon on a routine backpedal on a grass discipline. He knew he was harm — he motioned to the sideline — however stayed within the recreation for an additional play.
It is a horrible blow for Vera-Tucker, a 2021 first-round decide who has performed each place on the offensive line besides heart. By the top of the season, he can have missed 23 of 51 video games in his profession.
“It is the second yr in a row and we’re all type of shocked as a result of he performed a play on it,” coach Robert Saleh stated. “He walked off on his personal energy, he walked to the locker room on his personal energy, so we had been fairly optimistic that [the Achilles] was going to be OK.
“Nevertheless it’s a blow and I really feel unhealthy for him. He battled his method again within the offseason from the damage a yr in the past and to have this occur once more, it is unlucky.”
The Jets misplaced quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a torn Achilles on the fourth play of the season, and now the identical damage may power them to shuffle the offensive line. Left sort out Duane Brown (hip) already is on injured reserve; he is eligible to return in Week 8 towards the New York Giants.
Within the brief time period, they in all probability will play Max Mitchell at proper sort out Sunday towards the Philadelphia Eagles. Mitchell, who began 5 video games final season as a rookie, changed Vera-Tucker on Sunday and performed the complete second half because the Jets racked up 234 yards on the bottom. An alternative choice is Billy Turner, the swing sort out.
“We’ll preserve that one near the vest for the week,” Saleh stated of his plan, “however we have now our choices in-house.”
The Jets even have rookie Carter Warren, who’s eligible to be activated from IR, however he missed OTAs and most of coaching camp due to knee and shoulder accidents. The fourth-round decide from Pitt has “a protracted strategy to go,” in keeping with Saleh, however he might be added to the roster this week to function the fourth sort out.
The attention-grabbing resolution will occur when Brown, 38, is able to return. Mekhi Becton, who began the season at proper sort out, has settled into the left sort out place, his pure spot. Brown has performed solely at left sort out all through his 17-year profession. If the Jets need Brown within the lineup, it will imply shifting Becton again to proper sort out.
“We’ll see,” Saleh stated. “We’ll take it week-to-week.”