Unlike With Mims, No Need For Jets To Put 2020 Draft Cohort Becton On the Block Too
Joe Douglas’ first Draft class list from 2020 isn’t one he proudly keeps on his refrigerator door.
Three years later, the nine players selected by the Jets General Manager that weekend will be whittled down to two once the departure of wide receiver Denzel Mims becomes official. According to reports on Wednesday, the disgruntled former second-round pick will be traded along with a 2025 seventh-round pick to Detroit in exchange for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick.
To make matters uglier, neither of the two survivors from that class—tackle Mekhi Becton (first round) and cornerback Bryce Hall (fifth round) are locks to advance to Gang Green’s 53-man roster for the 2023 season. With training camp getting underway this week, rumors are circulating that both could be dealt.
In Becton’s case, I would say that such talk is, at best, premature.
Based on media reports, I get why Mims had to go. He has not won over the coaching staff and, the few times when he got chances to showcase his ability, he underperformed, plagued by drops and penalties. He was allegedly limited to the “X” receiver position and did not contribute on special teams, a must for any backup on game days.
The Jets happen to be covered at the position, with the additions of Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, and Randall Cobb joining last season’s starters Garret Wilson and Corey Davis. If New York wants to carry six receivers into the season, they could add a development project like 2022 practice squad player Irv Charles or Jason Brownlee, who received the fourth-highest guarantee ($246,000) of any of the league’s undrafted agents this year.
Becton’s past issues have been almost entirely physical—he just hasn’t been able to stay on the field. Thanks to knee woes, he has played a little less than three quarters of football over the last two seasons. As a rookie, he missed two games and was removed from several others due to various ailments.
When Becton did perform, he showcased enough potential to make it hard to believe that the Jets would be ready to move on from him. It was far from perfect, but it rarely is for left tackles. Andrew Thomas looked like a Giants bust and then figured it out in Year 2. Becton has the advantage of being massive enough to literally move people off the screen on the 11 X 11 coach’s tape.
Ok, maybe it was too massive. He reportedly ballooned to over 400 pounds, which is suboptimal for someone hoping to ease knee pain.
However, the word is that Becton is healthy now, having dropped as much as 50 pounds. He’s not even on the PUP list, which means he’s ready to practice on Thursday and compete for a job.
Let him. It’s not like Duane Brown, the incumbent starting left tackle, blew people away last season. Though he was dinged with only one sack allowed, ProFootballFocus.com gave him middling grades. More importantly, Brown will turn 38 next month and is coming off left shoulder surgery, through which he valiantly played 12 games in 2022.
Which makes depth a priority at the position, especially on the blind side to protect the mega investment on star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Or have the Jets not learned from past mistakes? Becton was one of six tackles (seven if you count Alijah Vera-Tucker, a guard who was moved outside out of necessity and then tore a triceps in Denver to end his season) to spend time on injured reserve last season.
Douglas has beefed up the position this offseason, signing Rodgers pal Billy Turner in free agency and drafting Carter Warren in the fourth round of the 2023 Draft. Max Mitchell, who was sidelined with a blood clotting disorder in the middle of his rookie season, is back to compete for the right tackle spot. Is that enough, though?
In an ideal world, Becton would transition to right tackle to begin the season, but that would take some convincing on the Jets’ part. Becton blames the organization for moving him around last offseason, which he thinks caused the setback that forced a second knee surgery and ended his season before it began.
Unfortunately, that’s how football works sometimes--at every level. You play where you can help the team the most. Becton isn’t helping his cause with his intransigence.
Still, Becton has a legitimate shot to make the left side a competitive battle and, even if he falls short, having him around as Brown insurance isn’t such a bad idea.
If the Jets were again pegged for mediocrity and looking to the future, I could see why trading Becton at this point would make sense. Like Mills, he probably could use a change of scenery. The Jets already declined Becton’s fifth-year option, so they could easily lose him for nothing as a free agent next April.
But with Rodgers on board, the Jets have to be all in for this season. As the organization found out a year ago, tackles don’t grow on trees, so if you have one who could be capable if healthy in a pinch, you don’t throw him away for a late-round Draft pick.
Not when your Draft record isn’t so exemplary.