Getty Former Jets first-round pick Mekhi Becton has signed with the Eagles.
The New York Jets missed on their former first-round pick, Mekhi Becton, but the offensive tackle is getting a second chance.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter posted on X that Becton was signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. According to Schefter, the deal is worth up to $5.5 million and will be official after a physical.
Offensive line help in Philadelphia: Former Jets first-round draft choice Mekhi Becton plans to sign a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million with the Eagles, pending a physical Monday, per his agents Alan Herman and Jared Fox. Becton is expected to be the Eagles swing tackle.
The Eagles plan to use Becton as a swing tackle, per Schefter. This means he’ll be a backup ready to play on either the left or right side.
While things didn’t work out with Becton in New York, the former first-round pick is hoping he can do enough to prove himself in 2024 for the Eagles.
Mekhi Becton’s Path to Philadelphia
It hasn’t always been pretty, but Becton is getting another chance to keep his NFL career alive in 2024.
Despite being 6-foot-7 and 345 pounds, Becton was only a 3-star recruit in high school. That didn’t stop top-tier programs like Georgia, Oregon, and Michigan from offering him. Instead, Becton decided to commit to play for the Louisville Cardinals.
Becton started right away as a true freshman. By the time he declared for the NFL draft as a junior, he had earned first-team All-ACC honors after a dominant 2019 season.
The Jets fell in love with Becton’s size and length. He was listed at over 6-foot-7 and 364 pounds with an absurd 35 5/8-inch arm length. The Jets ended up taking Becton with the 11th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
After an up-and-down rookie season, injuries kept Becton off of the field. He played just one game over two seasons before starting a career-high 16 games in 2023.
The Jets opted to not exercise Becton’s fifth-year option for the 2024 season. They also didn’t show any interest in re-signing him this offseason, letting him hit the open market.
It may have taken until after this year’s draft, but now Becton finally has a new home.
The Jets Have a New 1st-Round Tackle
Things may not have worked out with Becton. However, the Jets are hopeful their new first-round tackle can be a different story.
The Jets took Penn State left tackle Olu Fashanu with the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft. He was a unanimous All-American in 2023, while also winning the Big Ten’s Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year award.
The measurables bode very well for Fashanu’s NFL future. Not only is he 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds, but he also has 34-inch arms. His Relative Athletic Score of 9.49 out of 10 ranked 67th out of 1,293 recorded offensive tackles.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu is a OT prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.49 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 67 out of 1293 OT from 1987 to 2024.
Splits projected
Unlike Becton, Fashanu might be given the luxury of sitting behind an established star at the position. The Jets signed Tyron Smith to a one-year deal this offseason, and he’ll almost certainly hold down the team’s left tackle spot.
Smith is an eight-time Pro Bowler and potential Hall of Fame tackle. He’s also only under contract through 2024. This could give Fashanu the perfect chance to learn under a superstar for a season before slotting into the starting lineup in 2025.
The Jets could have traded up for a top-tier weapon. However, taking a tackle like Fashanu was a more prudent long-term move.