Giants’ Potential Trade Pursuit of $15.3 Million Jets OL Makes No Sense

New York Jets offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker has emerged as a person of interest to the rest of the NFL.

The folks over at the Pro Football Network listed AVT as the “top trade target” for the cross-town New York Giants.

“Guard Alijah Vera-Tucker could be an intriguing addition if the New York Jets, who are currently facing a dilemma, are willing to deal with their neighbors. The Jets have a roster full of talented players nearing the end of their contracts. New general manager Darren Mougey must make tough decisions about which young standouts to extend and which to let go. And among those with trade potential, Vera-Tucker stands out as a viable candidate,” PFN wrote.

“After two injury-shortened seasons, Vera-Tucker finally stayed healthy in 2024 and performed well, allowing a 1.74% pressure rate. Still, he logged fewer than 450 snaps in each of the two previous years, so reliability could be a concern. The Jets also can’t pay everyone, so they’ll need to decide how valuable Vera-Tucker is because he could command decent trade value,” PFN added.

The Giants’ need for an offensive lineman isn’t in question. However, the Jets’ potentially trading away a starting offensive lineman before the season certainly is. That wouldn’t make any sense whatsoever.

Breaking Down the Jets’ ‘Contract Dilemma’

PFN categorized the Jets’ situation as a “contract dilemma.”

It’s a first-world problem. The Jets have a number of talented players who are due for new contracts, and they must decide who to extend offers to.

However, that does not mean the green and white will jeopardize their season because of it. Vera-Tucker is a starting guard on this roster. Offensive linemen are hard to come by, and good ones are even more difficult to find.

Vera-Tucker has the fifth-year $15.3 million fully guaranteed option on his contract for this upcoming season.

The Jets would much rather let Vera-Tucker play out the final year of his deal in 2025 and let him walk as a free agent, versus trading him for an asset ahead of the season.

A future asset doesn’t help the Jets win in 2025. It’s difficult to find O-Linemen. The Jets have a good one in AVT.

It makes sense that the Giants would be interested, but it wouldn’t make sense for the Jets to deal him away even if they end up losing him. The one-year rental, if that is what it ends up being, is more valuable than whatever they could get back realistically.

Jets Are All in on QB Justin Fields, AVT Maximizes That Fields Belief

Is Justin Fields going to be the long-term franchise quarterback the Jets have been desperately searching for decades? Who knows.

The Jets have a better chance of answering that question with better O-Line play in front of him.

When the Jets traded away Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers, there were lingering questions. Did the team provide him with enough playmakers and protection to truly evaluate him? The answer wasn’t definitive.

Regardless of whether Fields is a success or a failure in 2025, the Jets want to know without a shadow of a doubt if he can or can’t be the guy. The worst place you can be is in the middle. The Jets don’t want this upcoming season to end with them still pondering that question about Fields.