The New York Jets don’t open training camp for another two months or so, but Mekhi Becton is already champing at the bit to get started.
“This is the most excited I’ve ever been going into training camp,” Becton told Newsday on Saturday.
The 24-year-old offensive tackle is entering his fourth NFL season. A first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by New York, Becton has played only 15 games because of injuries. He missed all of last season with a knee injury sustained in training camp and played just one in 2021 due to a previous injury. But the massive tackle has slimmed down and appears to be in the best condition of his NFL career.
Becton has flaunted his new physique on social media and is prepared to break out and be the game-changing tackle the Jets envisioned when the selected him with the No. 11 overall pick in ’20.
All smiles for Mekhi Becton at OTA’s 😎 @BigTicket73
📸: @nyjets pic.twitter.com/I1r2Y5aVEa
— 𝙅𝙀𝙏𝙎 𝙈𝙀𝘿𝙄𝘼🛫 (@NYJets_Media) May 19, 2023
With Aaron Rodgers playing quarterback this season and an offense stacked with playmakers, a healthy Becton could help the Jets reach new heights in 2023. They have not made the playoffs in 12 seasons and last appeared in the Super Bowl in 1969.
“I don’t want to look too far ahead, but I definitely feel way more confident than I’ve felt these past three years,” Becton said. “I feel like we’re going to win a lot of games, have a lot of fun, and just the energy and vibe with the players at the facility is uplifting.”
The Jets declined Becton’s fifth-year option on his rookie contract so he can be a free agent at the end of this season. Coach Robert Saleh also did not guarantee Becton a starting spot on the offensive line. Instead, Saleh says there’s an open competition on the Jets depth chart.
But there’s no one in football who believes Saleh and the Jets are not rooting hard for Becton to remain healthy and figure things out this season. With Rodgers in tow, he can be that big a difference-maker for New York.
Follow Us
Subscribe