Mekhi Becton Tweets “He’s A Left Tackle” And This Is How Jets Coach Robert Saleh Responded!
Mekhi Becton’s future with the Jets was called into question when they chose not to exercise his fifth-year option, an offensive lineman. Coach Robert Saleh wants him to understand that if he wants to play, he must earn it.
Becton said on Twitter that he thinks he should be the Jets’ starting left tackle after Saleh informed reporters that there will be open battles at both right and left tackle featuring Becton, Duane Brown, Max Mitchell, Billy Turner, and Cedric Ogbuehi.
Mekhi Becton Tweets “He’s A Left Tackle” And This Is How Jets Coach Robert Saleh Responded!
In New York, the offseason has produced several narratives.
Update: #Jets OT Mekhi Becton, who ballooned to over 400 pounds, has since lost over 50+ pounds and now weights 342, per ESPN.
Becton completely transformed his body and slimmed down after a lot of hard work and commitment 👏 pic.twitter.com/1hprlQZlT6
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 7, 2023
Becton made his announcement shortly after head coach Robert Saleh talked about the forthcoming competition for several offensive line positions and the tackle slot Becton will be vying for.
At a press conference on Friday, Saleh informed the media, “We’re going to play our best five.” “So, I’ll just say that AVT (Alijah Vera-Tucker) is the finest right guard. Additionally, Laken Tomlinson (right guard). Along the whole offensive line, there will be a highly exciting fight for the positions of center and both tackles.
Robert Saleh’s response to Mekhi Becton’s deleted tweet from this morning:
“Go win the left tackle. Competition.”#Jets
pic.twitter.com/5hVB6el1Oo— Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) May 6, 2023
Mekhi Becton, an offensive tackle, tweeted on Saturday morning, “I. AM. A. LEFT. TACKLE!!!” in response to the most recent news.
Becton eventually removed the tweet, but Saleh was questioned about the O-lineman’s opinion of where he should play when he talked to media once again on Saturday.
“Go earn the left tackle,” he commanded. “Competition.”
“Mekhi Becton looks fantastic. He’s attacking this offseason the right way & I’m excited for him. We’re gonna play our best five.”
Robert Saleh only committed to Laken at LG & AVT at RG. Said there will be competition at both T spots & at C#Jets
pic.twitter.com/YgBD28GTqT— Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) May 5, 2023
Saleh informed reporters that Becton has a chance this season despite the fact that he has been a letdown since the Jets selected him with the 11th overall choice in the 2020 NFL Draft.
“The expectation for him is no different than anybody else,” Saleh said. “It’s redundant, I feel like I say it to you guys all the time, but you wake up and find a way to get better and that’s who you are every single day. That’s the expectation. If it leads to starting, if it leads to a left tackle position, it doesn’t matter. If you go to bed satisfied with the way you approach each day and the way you attack it, odds are, it is going to work out in your favor. If it doesn’t, at least you go to bed knowing you tried your best.”
What's your prediction:
Will the #Jets pick up Mekhi Becton's 5th Year Option? pic.twitter.com/D9SZAm15cx
— 𝙅𝙀𝙏𝙎 𝙈𝙀𝘿𝙄𝘼🛫 (@NYJets_Media) May 2, 2023
The enormous 6-foot-7 lineman was selected by the Jets in the 11th round of the 2020 draft and started 13 games in his first season before suffering knee problems in both 2021 and 2022 that restricted him to just one game. Recently, the Jets declined the tackle’s fifth-year option.
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