In a blow to the Jets, offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered a torn Achilles tendon, an MRI revealed Monday.
Vera-Tucker, who sustained the injury during New York's win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, will miss the remainder of the season, head coach Robert Saleh announced.
“AVT, unfortunately, the MRI showed that he did tear his Achilles, so he is out for the year," he said Monday.
“We’re all kind of surprised because he played a play on it, he walked off under his own power, he walked to the locker room on his own power, so we were pretty optimistic that that part of it was going to be okay," the Jets head coach said."But, it’s a blow. And again, I feel bad for him. He battled his way back this offseason from injury a year ago, and to have this happen again, it’s unfortunate.”
Saleh added that they will keep the new starting right tackle “close to the vest” for this week ahead of Sunday's matchup with Philadelphia, but “we have our options in-house.”
Max Mitchell could be one of those options, as he replaced Vera-Tuker when the injury occurred in the first half on Sunday. Veteran Billy Turner is also an option at right tackle.
Saleh thought Mitchell did "a really good job" on Sunday.
"Thought he did a decent job yesterday, things that we can improve upon on obviously with regards to pass protection, thought he was really good in the run game," he said of Mitchell. "One thing Max is gonna give you is he's gonna give you everything he's got. He trains as well as anybody and somebody we have full faith in.
"Same thing with Billy Turner, seasoned veteran, knows how to play the game, knows how to keep the quarterback upright, communicates at a high level and has played this game for a very long time so he knows how to play this game."
When Duane Brown returns off IR after the Week 7 bye week he could play at left tackle where he has spent his entire career and the Jets could move Mekhi Becton back to right tackle where he started the season.
This is the second straight season he has sustained a season-ending injury in October. The 14th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Vera-Tucker sustained a torn triceps in Week 7 in 2022 also at the Broncos.