Jets tackle Mekhi Becton speaks to the media at the NFL football team’s practice facility.
AP Photo/Adam Hunger
FLORHAM PARK — It’s been a bumpy few years for Mekhi Becton and the New York Jets but it seems the former first-round pick is finally turning the corner in the eyes of his coaching staff.
“He’s (Becton) done a nice job. I’m pulling for him.” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said following Tuesday’s practice. “He’s worked so hard to drop his weight and get himself into shape. He’s just gotta learn to trust his knee and find a way to get comfortable with it.”
The left tackle has been placed on a play count to start training camp according to the coaching staff – a plan that was agreed upon before workouts had begun as the former Louisville Cardinal continues to get back into the swing of competitive football snaps.
It’s been two years since Becton has partaken in on-field action. In 2021, the tackle suffered cartilage damage in his knee during a game, which required surgery and ended his season. During the early portion of training camp in 2022, it was determined that Becton had an avulsion fracture of his right kneecap which cost him another season.
Becton’s knee could play a pivotal part in the Jets’ ability to protect newly acquired quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the pocket. New York has been impressed though by his work ethic during the offseason though. He’s dropped about 30 pounds in weight while keeping the right mindset in place as he works on fighting for the starting left tackle job while also getting back into the swing of things.
“It’s definitely been hard. A lot of people couldn’t walk a mile in my shoes, I can say that for sure. I never gave up, I never gave in, that’s the plus.“ Becton said before camp. “It was definitely a struggle, I was in a dark place mentally and physically at the time, but I broke through.”
While his head coach seems satisfied with the return to this point, Becton…
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