Jets' Mekhi Becton might be his own biggest competition in starting left tackle battle

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – When Robert Saleh announced a competition between Mekhi Becton and George Fant for the Jets’ left tackle job, it was billed as a real heavyweight fight. But it might end up being a shorter battle than expected.

And the real battle might really be Becton vs. himself.

Becton, the Jets’ former and perhaps future left tackle, finally joined the fight on Tuesday morning when he was present for the start of the Jets’ mandatory minicamp. He had been absent all spring, choosing to work out on his own in Houston, making his conditioning something of a mystery, along with the condition of his surgically repaired right knee.

His return wasn’t much. He spent most of the practice working on a side field with trainers. If there were any positives, other than his presence, it’s that he didn’t have a brace on his knee and there was no noticeable limp.

But the sight of the big man – still very generously listed at 363 pounds – lumbering through conditioning drills was a reminder of how far he still needs to go. It may be true that he “looks good,” as Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said, but his last appearance was still back on Sept. 12, when he dislocated his kneecap and sprained his MCL in last season’s opener. That was a four-to-eight week injury that ended up costing Becton 16 weeks instead.

It's been nothing but rehab since then, which is a long way from football drills. And even from a distance on Tuesday it wasn’t hard to tell that Becton was hardly in peak shape. Maybe things will be clearer on Wednesday when both Becton and Jets head coach Robert Saleh are scheduled to speak to the media. But right now, it’s really impossible to imagine that he’ll be anywhere near 100 percent when training camp opens on July 26.

So that big battle between Becton and Fant, who was also sidelined on Tuesday as he continues to recover from knee surgery he underwent in January, might be a reverse battle of attrition.

The winner could be whoever is ready first.

“The faster that you can stamp ‘Hey, this is what we feel like is going to be our best going into Week 1 vs. Baltimore,’ the faster we can do that the better,” LaFleur said. “I think it will play itself out fairly quickly. When we get back (for training camp), we’re rolling, we’re running the football, and we’re going to see. It’ll all play itself out.”

Becton is far from being counted out, of course, but there’s no doubt he’s working from behind. Not only has it been nine months since his last football activities, but Fant played really well as the Jets’ left tackle last season after he took Becton’s place. He’s smaller (6-foot-5, 322 pounds) but a little more athletic, which made him seem like a better fit for the blind side in the Jets’ wide-zone blocking scheme.

But it’s not like the Jets have ever been ready to discard Becton, who was GM Joe Douglas’ first-ever draft pick (11^th overall in 2020). It’s easy to forget now, but he was terrific as a rookie – though that was with the previous coaching staff in a different blocking scheme.

“He’s a very large man that is hard to run around in the passing game,” LaFleur said. “Then for being such a big man he’s got a great first step to get on players and move them in the run game. Our scheme or any other scheme, he’s got the talent because of that elite, God-given size and strength that he has.

“The thing for Mekhi is to put himself in the best situation going forward.”

And that really is the key. Since his injury lingered far longer than expected last season there have been plenty of whispers about his dedication, work-ethic and willingness to do what it takes. Fair or unfair, that’s another hurdle Becton has to clear this summer.

Before he even gets a real shot to win his old job back, he has to show everyone he’s ready for the fight.