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The good news continues to pour in for the New York Jets.
Rich Cimini of ESPN revealed in a column posted on Sunday April 16 that “all signs point to” Mekhi Becton “being ready for training camp.”
The former No. 11 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft suffered an avulsion fracture to his right knee cap which ended his season before it ever truly began.
On August 16, 2022 the Jets placed Becton on injured reserve officially ending his season. Less than a year later he appears to be back on track for training camp in late July.
Mekhi Becton’s Injury History With Jets
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the recovery timeline from an “avulsion fracture” can take up to 12 weeks. An avulsion fracture is when “a piece of bone attached to a ligament or tendon breaks away from the main part of the bone,” according to those same doctors.
That was the second surgery that Becton had on his right knee, per Cimini. In 2021 Becton suffered both a knee cap dislocation and an MCL sprain.
When Becton made a recent visit to orthopedist Neal ElAttrache in LA he “received a positive update,” per Cimini.
The big man has had a change in attitude this offseason and seems to be in the right head space. Becton is constantly posting photos and workout videos of his progress.
That infectious energy has spread to Jets fans and they are now posting their own workout photos and videos of their progress on social media as they seek to lose weight and/or stay in shape.
Cimini said Becton is “down to 350, having dropped 40-plus pounds” and noted that is great news in general but specifically for his surgically repaired knee.
The less weight overall means less stress on those knees as he is playing the game of football.
When Becton was getting ready for the 2020 NFL draft he weighed in at 364 pounds at the NFL combine in Indinapolis. Three years later the big man is 14 pounds lighter than that total.
The Future at Offensive Tackle for the Jets
Gang Green has a slew of capable offensive tackles on paper with Duane Brown, Max Mitchell, and the aforementioned Becton in 2023.
However, each of them has serious questions. Brown will be 38 by the start of the season, Mitchell is coming off of a shortened rookie season due to blood clots, and we’ve gone over Becton’s history.
Those questions could push the Jets to take an offensive tackle with the No. 13 overall pick in the first round of April’s draft.
Shortly after the draft, the Jets brass will be forced to make a decision on Becton’s $13.5 million fifth-year option.
General manager Joe Douglas said the team will wait until after the draft to reveal that decision publically. It is smart for the Jets to wait on that because you never know what can happen during the draft.
What if somehow the Jets are unable to land any additional prospects in the trenches? That would increase the likelihood that Gang Green will pick up Becton’s option. On the other side of the coin, if the Jets get some more O-Line insurance they in theory would be less inclined to pick up that additional salary for 2024.
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