Free agent guard Alijah Vera-Tucker's decision to join the New England Patriots this offseason on a three-year/$42 million deal was partly influenced by the eldest player on the team's roster, 35-year-old tackle Morgan Moses.
The pair were teammates with the New York Jets in 2021 and 2024, forming a relationship that Vera-Tucker said contributed to him signing with the Patriots.
"I would say it definitely played a factor. Just Morgan being the type of guy he is, I knew I could trust his opinion on this place. So, just after talking to him for a little while, it definitely played a factor in me coming here." -Alijah Vera-Tucker
Alijah Vera-Tucker played some of his best football with Morgan Moses
An inability to consistently stay healthy has always been the biggest thing holding back Vera-Tucker's pro career. The 14th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has missed 41 total games over the past four seasons, including the entirety of the 2025 campaign due to a triceps injury.
However, when available, Vera-Tucker proved he can be one of the top guards in the league. Across 15 games played for the Jets in 2024, the USC product recorded the 10th-highest Pro Football Focus overall grade (77.7) and fifth-best pass blocking efficiency grade (98.3) among players at his position.
That production came as Vera-Tucker manned the offensive line alongside Moses, who had high praise for his new Patriots teammate back in New York.
"Amazing football player, amazing guard … We sit beside each other in the meeting rooms too … We’re getting that chemistry on the field and we’re getting that chemistry off the field … We’re gonna push each other every day to be better. Whether that’s 1% or 10% everyday, we’re just gonna push that line every day."
Meanwhile, Vera-Tucker has noted that Moses is excited about the two reuniting in Foxborough to play alongside each other for the same franchise.
Moses has been a vital leader during Patriots tenure
Since joining New England last offseason, Moses has been repeatedly hailed for the leadership he brings to the squad after having spent over a decade in the NFL.
The veteran has drawn on that wealth of experience to advise his fellow Patriots offensive linemen on how to improve on the field, an important benefit for a unit that started a pair of rookies last season in left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson.
"I think it’s the biggest thing. I’ve been blessed to be under a lot of great tackles. I played with Trent Williams for five, six years, and just being able to learn from him and just take it on the field. It’s vital because being a vet that’s played 12 years, and being able to sprinkle those little things to those guys and see them use them in practice and get better, and just build a toolbox for themselves. It’s good for everybody."
Throughout the 2025 campaign, Moses helped bring the team's offensive line closer together by initiating weekly dinners for the position group, including trips to steakhouses and a Boston Celtics game, helping build a "brotherhood" through a tradition that continued during their postseason run to Super Bowl LX.
New England head coach Mike Vrabel has talked previously about his appreciation for the positive influence Moses' character has had on the organization, saying, "I love everything that Morgan is about as a person, as a father."
"The more leadership that we can have, the better. I’ve appreciated Morgan since the time that I’ve known him personally. There’s a lot of people around here in our building that had a high affinity for him ... It became evident to me quickly that this was the type of person and player that we wanted on our football team."