Has Mekhi Becton worn out his welcome with the New York Jets?
Will Mekhi Becton ever play another down with the New York Jets?
Amidst all the reports that Becton’s weight is down to 340 pounds, voices on the Jets beat keep whispering that the tackle may not be long for the team. Rich Cimini speculated that the Jets could trade Becton before the final roster cutdown. Brian Costello added that he thinks Billy Turner will be the team’s starting right tackle.
So far, the early indications in training camp seem to concur with Costello. With Duane Brown on the PUP list in his recovery from shoulder surgery, Turner and Becton have been rotating at left tackle. Becton has not played right tackle at all, according to reports.
Would the Jets actually pull the trigger and trade Becton?
They’ve done similar this offseason
Becton has been a notable distraction this offseason. He ripped the Jets’ coaching staff for mishandling him in 2022, essentially blaming them for his season-ending knee injury. He claimed he should not have been at right tackle, putting more pressure on his knee, and stated that the training staff ignored his concerns. Furthermore, he tweeted, “I. AM. A. LEFT. TACKLE!” before deleting the post.
Robert Saleh handled that tweet by responding that Becton should go earn the spot. However, he reiterated his support for Brown and that the Jets are going to play their best five.
There is the distinct possibility that the Jets are simply tired of Becton’s antics. Although not as toxic as Elijah Moore’s midseason outburst, Becton’s comments could have been divisive. They were certainly not the words of a player who is bought into the team. Perhaps the Jets will decide to pull the plug on any possible distractions.
I was unhappy when the Jets traded Moore, even though I understood the move. Moore most likely kept his trade request on the table, and the Jets delivered. I might dislike a possible Becton move even more since they have even less depth to replace him. However, if they are intent on “positive vibes only” and maintaining a team culture, moving on from Becton makes sense.
They have five tackles
When the Jets brought in Turner, I saw that as a swing tackle move with two developmental prospects, Max Mitchell and Carter Warren, on the roster. Statistically, Turner has been a poor tackle throughout his career, but he’s a decent backup.
However, with the Jets giving Turner some first-team reps at left tackle in place of Brown and Mitchell starting at right tackle, it appears that the team may be ready to use Turner as a starter. I would vehemently disagree with that move; Aaron Rodgers‘ support for a tackle who will likely get him destroyed boggles my mind. Still, they have the bodies to do it, if not the talent.
Overall, the Jets are currently poised to carry 10 offensive linemen: the five tackles, Laken Tomlinson, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Connor McGovern, Joe Tippmann, and Wes Schweitzer. Trystan Colon, an intriguing interior lineman in his own right, likely has little chance of making the roster.
With a roster crunch at other positions, specifically if they plan to carry a fullback, perhaps they will just have the four tackles and move on from Becton.
Becton’s future is uncertain
After the Jets declined Becton’s fifth-year option, he is poised to hit the free-agent market after the season. The 2024 franchise tag for offensive linemen is projected to be $23.8 million. That would likely be too steep for the Jets even if they’d want to apply it.
Even if Becton does start, stay healthy, and have a strong season, his path forward with the Jets is unclear. Would they commit big money to a player with his injury history after a good season in a contract year? This is particularly salient when considering Becton’s previous struggles with mindset and weight.
I proposed a potential Jordan Love-style extension for Becton. However, it doesn’t seem that the Jets have any interest in that. The idea was to give the Jets one more year to see if Becton could be the answer but at a more reasonable price than the franchise tag. Instead, they appear closer to just moving on a year early.
Furthermore, there is a distinct possibility that Becton gets injured yet again. Besides not playing at all in two years, he rarely played a full game even in his rookie season. Therefore, perhaps the Jets want to salvage whatever they can get for Becton. Another injury would mean that they lose what remains of their investment with nothing in return.
Chasing a ring
As I stated in my article about remaining moves to make this offseason, the Jets need to beef up their roster if they’re truly going all in for a championship. Trading Becton would be the antithesis of that unless they receive a starting-caliber tackle in return, which is highly doubtful. Player-for-player trades are rare in the NFL, to begin with. Why would any team trade a known starter for the unknown of Becton?
Jonah Williams is one name that came up as a possible avenue earlier this offseason. The Bengals tackle will be playing on his fifth-year option, which is worth $12.6 million. Williams requested a trade earlier this offseason and is also coming off a dislocated kneecap.
The price tag is likely prohibitive, even if the Jets would be interested in making such a move. But why would they be? In 2022, Williams allowed a 5.9% pressure rate (above the 5.3% average) and 12 sacks. That followed a 6.6% pressure rate and eight sacks the prior year. The only year in which Williams’ play was adequate was in 2020 when he allowed a 4.7% pressure rate and three sacks in 10 games.
The most likely return for a trade is a draft pick. That would be incredibly foolish for a team chasing a championship. When they traded Moore, it was to gain another second-round pick ahead of a potential Rodgers deal. That eventually allowed them to pick Tippmann—a player who can contribute in 2023. Losing a 2023 starter in favor of a 2024 draft pick is not the move of a team whose goal is a Lombardi.
The return
As mentioned, the return for Becton would most likely be a draft pick. Here’s where I think Joe Douglas might think twice about making a move.
Denzel Mims requested a trade last offseason. The Jets were insistent on sticking to their asking price of a fourth-round pick. That was quite steep for a player coming off an injury-riddled and miserably poor season.
For Becton, who showed far more on the field than Mims ever did, the Jets would likely want at least a third-round pick. It’s hard to envision a team giving that up for someone who hasn’t played in two seasons. Perhaps some team loses its starting tackle and is desperate enough to cave. Even then, I don’t think it’s that likely.
While Becton has been a far more publicly controversial figure than Mims, perhaps the Jets stick it out if they can’t get the return they want. If he does play well this season, they could likely get a third-round compensatory pick or even try a tag-and-trade to get more in return for him. They might hold out for that.
Will they do it?
Honestly, I really do think the Jets might trade Becton. The indications seem to be pointing in that direction. I can’t see a way that Becton will take being the backup or even third-string left tackle well. He hasn’t been practicing at right tackle thus far.
Perhaps this is simply a nod to the fact that Becton’s preference is to play on the left side. Maybe the Jets are giving him a shot at winning the job rather than relegating him to right tackle. After all, we did see Becton working on his right tackle stance and get-off on the side field during OTAs.
I do not think such a move would be wise, even if it’s a matter of team culture. I believe the offensive line is the key to the Jets’ entire season. Removing one of its most talented players in favor of a backup-level player is not a wise way to start.
What do you think, Jets fans? Is Becton on the way out?
