Mekhi Becton’s Weight Is Still An Issue For The Jets, And They Soon Must Make Financial Decisions

Mekhi Becton came out swinging Wednesday against his critics.

The New York Jets hope he displays the same aggressiveness this fall against opposing defensive linemen. It is especially important the Jets find out all they can about him in the next few months, because the Jets will need to make some financial decisions about Becton by next spring.

By May 2023, they will have to decide whether to pick up his fifth-year option. He has a $5.03 million cap figure per overthecap.com and a cap number of $5.869 million next year, all of which would be dead money if he somehow is not on the team and hasn’t been traded.

Becton spoke to reporters for the first time since prior to last season yet still refused to give any clues to the mystery of his weight, a problem that has dogged him since he entered the NFL in 2020 at somewhere between 360 and 380 pounds as the 11th overall selection. Despite the Jets’ original claims that he could play well at a high weight, the 6-7, currently unknown pounds Becton ballooned up to 400 last year according to an ESPN.com report, while attempting to rehab from a dislocated kneecap suffered in the season opener when he was rolled into by another player.

Make no mistake—the injury itself was not his fault. But the original injury timetable given by the team itself estimated that he would rejoin New York sometime in the latter part of the season. Instead, he never returned.

“It was a lot of adversity,” Becton said of the injury and the rehab. “It was just a lot to handle.

“I was working for it,” he said of a 2021 in-season comeback, “but then I just hit a wall.” Becton said he “couldn’t get the strength that I wanted (in his right knee), the strength that I needed to perform like I perform.”

The mystery deepened when Becton, as is his right, sat out voluntary conditioning and on-field walkthrough sessions which began on April 18 to work with an offensive-line guru, Tony Manyweather, in Dallas. (Becton said Wednesday he also had two personal trainers there.) Becton also was not present for any of the Jets’ voluntary Organized Team Activity practice sessions over the past three weeks, instead tending to his newborn son.

Becton was present for New York’s mandatory minicamp Tuesday and Wednesday. But the intrigue over his shape continued when neither Becton nor the team would directly answer questions about the tackle’s weight.

Head coach Robert Saleh said Wednesday, “I’m not going to get into (weight) details, but he’s fine.”

Becton said, “I’m satisfied where I’m at. … I’m not saying numbers.”

None of this is particularly reassuring, and continues to beg the question—can Becton be effective in the Jets’ Shanahan-style offense? The blocking scheme is set up for quicker, smaller tackles in the 310-330-pound range.

As for his critics on social media, Becton said, “I’m going to make them eat their words. I’m coming back to try to be the best I can be, simple as that.”

Becton still is rehabbing the knee, and thus didn’t practice, although he said he expects to be ready by the start of training camp in late July.

In fact, neither of the Jets’ projected starting offensive tackles got any time on the field during the spring. Veteran George Fant, who took over for the injured Becton at left tackle last season and performed quite well, had knee surgery early during the off-season. He also is expected to be ready to practice next month.

It is unclear who will play left tackle and who will handle right. Both head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur indicated that the team has a plan in place, but neither coach was willing to reveal it just yet.

All of this is very crucial considering the Jets are obviously intent on developing second-year quarterback Zach Wilson, and mounting a running game to help set up his passing. They will have limited time in training camp, which will begin late next month, to get the offensive line the requisite chemistry it needs.

General manager Joe Douglas has been kicking the tires of veteran offensive tackles, including Riley Reiff, who was seen at camp last week. It would make sense for him to sign someone for insurance.