How Alijah Vera-Tucker fits into the Patriots’ offensive line

FOXBORO - The New England Patriots only added one starting offensive lineman in free agency in Alijah Vera-Tucker, but they're lining up to have a change at two spots in 2026. After trading center Garrett Bradbury to the Chicago Bears, the door is open for last year's left guard Jared Wilson to move inside to center, setting up Vera-Tucker to step in at left guard.

Speaking with reporters on Thursday, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf was asked if that is indeed the plan.

"I think that's probably the plan right now," Wolf said. "We have some guys that do have versatility, which is always a good thing, but I think that would probably be the plan at the moment."

That represents a move back to Wilson's full-time college position of center, and puts Vera-Tucker back in the spot where he had success as a rookie. After playing over 1,000 snaps at left guard for the New York Jets in 2021, he's mostly played right guard with a few snaps at right tackle since.

"Yeah, I'm the type of guy - I'm a team first type of player," Vera-Tucker said when asked his comfort level of playing left guard. "I've played at left guard before so I don't mind going over there. I haven't had talks yet of where I'm going to play, but I'm excited regardless."

That move will slot Vera-Tucker in between Wilson and Will Campbell, who just wrapped up their rookie seasons. Vera-Tucker sounded impressed with what the duo did in their first year in the NFL.

"I thought they were very talented guys. I think for Jared to never play guard before, then go out there and do his thing - I think he's very strong, he's a talented player. I'm excited to play next to him. And then Will, too, there's a reason why they got him so early in the draft. So, just looking at their tape, not too much of it, but when they played against the Jets last year, I got to witness it firsthand, and I liked what I saw, and then I was excited to come in here and work with the group."

The bigger question with Vera-Tucker, rather than moving back to left guard, is health. He's played in just 43 games over the last five years, including missing all of last season with a torn triceps. That was his second torn triceps (one on each side), with an Achilles injury also costing him time in 2023.

"It's a risk reward," Wolf said when asked how much that injury history played into the decision to sign Vera-Tucker, whose contract contains significant per-game roster bonuses. "We just looked at the film and the youth and the type of injuries - it was were all factors that we talked about. And just ultimately, we felt like we were taking a swing at a player that was still young and still has upside and is a really good player at his position."

Vera-Tucker said on Thursday that he's still dealing with some limitations now as he works his way back from his most recent injury, but is "progressing well" and he expects to be good to go by spring workouts.