Returning to the scene of his first knee injury for Saturday’s preseason game against the Panthers, Jets offensive lineman Mekhi Becton put together one of the strongest performances of his NFL career.
Playing with the second-team offense, Becton appeared in 27 snaps, which was a step up from the seven he saw in the Hall of Fame game against the Browns. It was the most action he’s seen in his two years with the organization.
Saturday certainly was a positive for the oft-injured lineman, and he told reporters following Gang Green’s dominant 27-0 win that it felt good to be able to get back out there for an extended run.
“Had a great time, got to be out there a little bit long with my guys. I wanted to do it, so I felt great and had a great time,” Becton said. “I could’ve gone longer, I had a great time. I just pushed through and had a lot of fun.”
Head coach Robert Saleh, who gave Becton a big handshake after he walked off the field following his final snap, said he was very proud of the 24-year-old’s effort.
“Really, really cool,” Saleh said. “He fought through and got in a lot more reps than we were planning and he wanted to go more, which is promising. He took a really really big step today.
"I don’t care what the film looks like. For him, it's just about to build that confidence with the knee. Like I’ve said, that’s important and it feels like he took that right step today.”
Running back Michael Carter also offered some high praise of his teammates in his return to the field.
“I wanted to give him a quick shoutout, he’s been doing good,” Carter said. “We all have to keep grinding and we all have stuff to work on but up to this point he’s been doing really well. I think he deserves the spotlight.”
Becton has battled his fair-share of injuries, appearing in just 15 games over his first two seasons. While it’s imaginably been frustrating for him, he continues to work hard. He gave credit to veteran offensive linemen Billy Turner and Duane Brown for helping him improve each day.
“We are like three peas in a pod. They probably don’t look at it like that because I’m the young guy, but see it that way, I call them my OGs,” Becton said. “I just make sure I stay in their pocket and get as much knowledge as I can.”
Though Saturday was a step in the right direction, Becton knows there’s still more work to do moving forward.
“Just keep getting one percent better every day,” he said. “Just keep stacking good days, that’s all I can do.”