With NFL free agency just days away, the New York Jets face several difficult decisions — not only about which players to pursue on the open market, but also which members of their current roster they will choose to retain.

One of the more intriguing Jets set to hit the open market on Monday is offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker.

The former first-round pick remains a high-upside player despite the myriad of serious injuries he has suffered in his five-year NFL career.

In Week 7 of the 2022 season, Vera-Tucker suffered a season-ending torn triceps injury. Less than a year later, he sustained a torn Achilles, ending his sophomore campaign in Week 5.

After playing in 15 games during the 2024 season, AVT solidified himself as one of the league’s top right guards, leaving Jets fans with a lot to be excited about moving forward if he could stay healthy.

Before the 2025 season even got started, the USC product was shut down for the year after tearing his triceps days ahead of the team’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With his rookie contract officially up, should the Jets look to retain the 26-year-old?

The answer is tough, but obvious.

Why the Jets must let Vera-Tucker walk this offseason

When he is on the field, Vera-Tucker is a Pro Bowl-level player. There is no doubt about that.

The issue is that he is rarely on the field.

Vera-Tucker has suffered season-ending injuries before Week 8 in three of his five NFL seasons. As a result, he has played in just 27 of a possible 68 games over the past four years (39.7%).

Despite his unreliable track record of durability, it is expected that the Jets will have to pay a pretty penny to bring Vera-Tucker back for the 2026 season.

According to Spotrac, Vera-Tucker’s market value is currently slotted at $12.8 million per year, which would make him the 10th highest-paid right guard in the league by average annual value.

A team in desperate need of offensive line help may sign him at that price tag. However, for the first time in what feels like forever, Gang Green will not be in desperation mode this offseason when shopping for offensive linemen.

If his price tag were significantly lower, bringing Vera-Tucker back would at least warrant a conversation. He is a player who has flashed tremendous upside. At the very least, he could compete with a draft pick for a starting job during training camp.

However, paying him anywhere near his projected market value would be a significant overpay for the Jets. They would be far better off bringing back John Simpson instead.

Simpson has not missed a game since 2022, delivering a dominant campaign for the Jets in 2024 before taking a modest step back in 2025. Even so, he remains a reliable option who would likely return on a reasonable deal, with Spotrac projecting his value at $6.3 million per year.

Retaining Simpson at that price would allow the Jets to continue investing in the interior of the line through the draft. They could even use one of their four top 45 selections at guard.

Ultimately, the Jets’ decision with Vera-Tucker this offseason is pretty straightforward. His projected value is too rich for a player with his injury history, especially for a Jets team that is not desperate for offensive line help.