The New England Patriots made a splash late Monday night.
New England agreed to a three-year, $42 million deal with star offensive guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. Vera-Tucker was a first-round pick of the New York Jets in 2021. However, he’s had a lengthy injury history.
The 26-year-old has had three season-ending injuries in his five-year NFL tenure. So, NFL analyst Daniel Popper of The Athletic wasn’t a fan of the move, as he believes it’s a major risk and could turn out to be a disastrous signing.
“Vera-Tucker is a very good player when he is on the field,” Popper wrote. “The problem is he cannot stay on the field. He played in five games in 2022 because of a torn triceps. He played in seven games in 2023 because of a torn Achilles. He missed all of last season because of a torn triceps on his other arm. He has been in the NFL for five seasons.
“He has suffered season-ending injuries in three of them. Sandwiched in between those three seasons was a standout 2024 at right guard. Still, this deal is a massive risk for the Patriots. If it works out, New England could get solid surplus value on this contract. If it does not, it could be a disaster.”
Popper ended up giving the signing a grade of C+ as he thinks there are plenty of risks with the deal.
However, if Vera-Tucker is healthy, he’s an All-Pro caliber offensive guard that can help bolster the Patriots' offensive line, which was an issue last season.
New England’s offensive line was a major issue last season, and Vera-Tucker should come in and take over as the starting right guard.
More NFL: Instant Analysis To Patriots' Risky Decision To Sign Alijah Vera-Tucker