There has been a lot of attention given to what the New York Jets could do with their roster in the offseason. There are some major changes expected, with the quarterback position being near the top of that list.
Aaron Rodgers will be back healthy and ready to go, hopefully. It also sounded like Zach Wilson would be moved on from, which was part of his hesitancy to get back on the field as the team’s starter again. Before his excellent second-half performance against the Houston Texans, the team seemed ready to move on from Wilson and revamp their quarterback room this offseason.
However, Wilson isn’t the only former top pick that New York could move on from this offseason. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, the Jets are more than likely parting ways with offensive tackle Mekhi Becton during the 2024 offseason.
NFL News & Rumors: Mekhi Becton & New York Jets Updates
During a recent episode of his “Flight Deck” podcast, Cimini was answering mailbag questions about the team. One was about Becton and whether or not the Jets would use the franchise tag on him. Cimini gave a straightforward answer, as he doesn’t foresee Becton being back in New York in 2024.
“I do not foresee Mekhi Becton going back to the Jets in any form next year. They are not going to tag him, I can tell you that much & I’d be really surprised if they signed him unless it was a one-year prove-it deal. Mekhi Becton is just not the Jets’ cup of tea, I think this coaching staff would like to move on, & to be quite honest I think Mekhi Becton would like to move on as well & get a fresh start somewhere else,” said Cimini. (H/T Heavy)
This past offseason the Jets had a decision to make with Becton when it came to the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. They opted to decline that, which wasn’t a surprise, as Becton has struggled to stay on the field turning his tenure with the team.
The No. 11 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Louisville played in 14 games as a rookie and looked like a burgeoning star. Unfortunately, he played in only one game the next two seasons, missing the entire 2022 campaign.
NFL News & Rumors: Mekhi Becton & New York Jets Updates
He has been able to stay on the field more this season, appearing in and starting 12 games and playing 93 percent of the snaps. However, based on the price the franchise tag would cost, it makes sense that isn’t a route the team is looking to take currently.
As Cimini noted, parting ways is likely in the best interest of both parties. The Jets need to overhaul the offensive line if they want to find success next season and Becton would benefit from a fresh start elsewhere without the pressures of being a top pick and franchise cornerstone.
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