Former Jets first round pick Mekhi Becton finally reaching potential after helping Eagles reach Super Bowl

A twelvemonth ago, Mekhi Becton‘s aboriginal was cloudy.

The erstwhile first-round prime was headed to escaped bureau pursuing an injury-plagued 4 seasons with the Jets.

Fast guardant 12 months later, Becton is preparing to play successful the biggest crippled of his shot career.

The Eagles volition play successful Super Bowl LIX this week aft winning the NFC Championship against the Commanders and Becton played a important relation successful helping Philadelphia scope the Big Game. He was a important crushed the Eagles finished successful the NFL successful rushing this play (179.3).

He besides helped Saquon Barkley, who besides near New York for Philadelphia, to the franchise season-single rushing grounds (2,005).

“I had a feeling I would beryllium successful this spot due to the fact that I merit to beryllium successful this spot,” Becton said aft the NFC Championship via NJ.com. “I worked excessively hard. I knew I wouldn’t enactment with the Jets for my full career.”

Becton, 25, has yet reached the imaginable galore saw erstwhile helium entered the 2020 NFL Draft. He was selected 11th wide and was expected to beryllium the Jets cornerstone tackle for the adjacent decade.

After a coagulated rookie play successful which helium started 13 games astatine near tackle, Becton endured back-to-back seasons that were wiped retired owed to injury. In the 2021 play opener against the Panthers, Becton suffered a close genu injury and missed the remainder of the twelvemonth pursuing a surgical procedure. During his clip distant due to the fact that of injury, Becton’s value climbed to 400 pounds and the Jets expressed concern.

Becton returned successful clip for the 2022 grooming camp, but helium reinjured his close knee successful signifier and missed the remainder of that season. He yet blamed Jets coaches for moving him from near to close tackle, which, according to Becton, enactment much accent connected his close knee. Becton besides said helium didn’t person the close country the archetypal clip helium suffered the wounded successful 2021.

Instead of gaining value this time, Becton refocused connected his conditioning, mislaid implicit 50 pounds, and reported to grooming campy successful 2023 successful the champion signifier of his shot career. He besides won the Jets close tackle occupation aft a coagulated grooming camp. Becton was moved to near tackle 3 games into the 2023 play aft Duane Brown suffered an wounded 2 games in.

Becton had his moments astatine his earthy position, but helium was not accordant enough. He committed 12 penalties [second astir successful the NFL] and allowed 12.5 sacks, according to Next Gen Stats. Becton became a escaped cause aft the Jets declined his fifth-year option successful the outpouring of 2023.

The Jets are often a low-hanging punching container due to the fact that of their futility, but it is hard to knock them for letting Becton walk. He played 30 games successful 4 seasons for the Jets. In summation to his injuries, Becton besides appeared to deficiency information and criticized fans connected societal media.

Becton says helium didn’t person the aforesaid enactment from the Jets arsenic helium does from the Eagles.

“I’m the aforesaid subordinate I’ve ever been,” Becton said. “It’s thing different. I consciousness similar if you springiness idiosyncratic enactment and uplift them — and not teardrop them down each time — they are going to spell execute similar they can.”

The Eagles signed Becton to a one-year, $2.75 cardinal declaration past April, a low-risk, high-reward signing astatine the time. After Eagles violative enactment manager Jeff Stoutland suggested it, Becton was moved to guard, a presumption helium ne'er played successful the league until this season.

Becton turned that accidental into a occurrence story. In 903 snaps, helium allowed conscionable 3 sacks and committed 4 penalties. Becton was ranked arsenic the No. 18 ranked defender by Pro Football Focus.

Not lone did Becton execute idiosyncratic success, paving the mode for Barkley’s 2,005-yard season, but helium besides helped the Eagles decorativeness with a 14-3 grounds and the NFC East title. Now, Becton is 1 crippled distant from winning a Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, the Jets are coming disconnected a 5-12 play successful which they fired manager Robert Saleh and wide manager Joe Douglas. With caller manager Aaron Glenn and wide manager Darren Mougey, Gang Green volition commencement implicit again successful hopes of ending a 14-year playoff drought.

“It’s beauteous comic to maine that I’m wherever I’m astatine and they’re wherever they’re at,” Becton said.