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Editors note: This is the sixth story in a 10-part series looking at the most intriguing New England Patriots players ahead of training camp.
Previously: Kyle Williams, Christian Gonzalez, Gabe Jacas, Romeo Doubs and Harold Landry After watching Drake Maye deal with constant pressure in the Super Bowl (and for most of the playoffs), the New England Patriots knew they had to make meaningful adjustments to their offensive line this offseason.
Advertisement So with left tackle Will Campbell, right tackle Morgan Moses and right guard Mike Onwenu all under contract, the Patriots shifted Jared Wilson from left guard to center and signed free agent Alijah Vera-Tucker to take over as their new left guard.
The move is a fascinating one.
If the 27-year-old Vera-Tucker can stay healthy, the Patriots will have added one of the games better guards to play between their promising youngsters (Campbell and Wilson).
But theres a reason no other team was willing to match the three-year, $42 million deal the Patriots gave Vera-Tucker: He has been injured so frequently that since entering the NFL, he has missed almost as many games (42) as hes played (43).
All of that makes him one of the most intriguing players entering Pats camp later this month.
History Vera-Tucker was a cant-miss prospect for nearly a decade.
He was a four-star recruit out of high school in Oakland, Calif., then played at USC, where he was one of the nations most dominant offensive linemen.
That is, in part, because he has everything you want in a left guard.
He has athleticism (he ran a 5.13-second 40-yard dash at 308 pounds), explosiveness (he posted a 32-inch vertical leap at the scouting combine) and strength (36 bench press reps of 225 pounds).
He was also durable in college, never missing extended time because of an injury.
Vera-Tucker looked like a safe pick entering the 2021 NFL Draft when he was selected 14th overall by the New York Jets.
But little has gone as planned for Vera-Tucker since then.
He has suffered three different season-ending injuries, tearing his triceps twice and his Achilles once.
He did not play in 2025 due to injury.
Offseason recap Despite all the above troubles, Vera-Tucker was sought after as a free agent.
Several teams were willing to take the risk because, for all of Vera-Tuckers injuries, his play when he has been on the field has been exceptional.
Advertisement That said, the Patriots were an interesting fit for Vera-Tucker in free agency.
Conventional wisdom suggested that Vera-Tucker might land with a rebuilding team that needed to take a big swing at left guard and was OK with the risk of injury, rather than with a team like the Patriots that had just been to the Super Bowl and could use a high floor at the position entering the 2026 season.
But the Pats were willing to do it because of the (potentially) high ceiling.
If Vera-Tucker can stay healthy, he can help transform an O-line that was a weakness a year ago.
X-factor Another reason for signing Vera-Tucker is his ability to help Campbell.
Yes, Campbell struggled at the end of last season.
But the Patriots saw it like this: Campbell was 21, playing through an injury and receiving little help since the left guard next to him at the time (Wilson) was another struggling rookie.
The thinking now is that if Vera-Tucker plays well, it could ease the load on Campbell and give him time to settle into what the Patriots still believe will be a lengthy and productive career at left tackle.
Plus, if injuries hit the offensive line, Vera-Tucker has position versatility, having started at least one NFL game at every spot on the O-line except center.
Reasons for optimism Vera-Tuckers good is really good.
He has versatility with different schemes thanks to his size and athleticism.
Hes good as a pass protector and great as a run blocker.
And he has been around long enough to bring some calm to a young offensive line, playing between Campbell and Wilson.
Of course, Vera-Tuckers ability to stay healthy remains a massive unknown.
But if he does, this Patriots offensive line could be a top-10 group for the first time in several years.
Reasons for concern The Patriots didnt need an All-Pro-level left guard to yield improvement there.
They just needed to raise the floor.
Thats why this signing is so risky for a team like the Patriots.
Advertisement The other concerning part is that they didnt do a whole lot to improve their backup guard situation in the event that Vera-Tucker gets hurt.
If you were going to sign a player with Vera-Tuckers injury history, it wouldve made sense to go after a high-end backup just in case.
But the Patriots didnt draft a guard and will roll into training camp with Caedan Wallace and Ben Brown as the top backup candidates.
What to watch in camp Of course, Vera-Tuckers health is the top thing to monitor.
But theres another aspect that will be interesting.
A year ago, Moses made a massive impact on the New England offensive line by staying around after practice to help the younger players.
He was important to Campbells development.
Thats certainly not required of Vera-Tucker, but it will be interesting to see how he works with Campbell and how the two feed off each other as they approach the massive task of protecting Mayes blind side.