Order of protection
Mekhi may get shuffled around as Jets’ O-line gets healthy bodies back
Just about the last thing you would expect when the Jets are relying on a fourth-string center and an out-of-position right guard is a forced change at left tackle.
But Mekhi Becton’s days of protecting Zach Wilson’s blindside could be numbered: Left tackle Duane Brown (hip) is expected to return to practice Thursday, which likely is a precursor to Becton moving back to right tackle in the name of helping an injury-decimated offensive line survive the rest of the season.
“Mehki is a freakish athlete,” head coach Robert Saleh said. “I think as he continues to evolve his career, obviously you’d love for him to be a left tackle, but where we are at right now we just have to make sure the best five are on the field somehow, some way to protect the quarterback and give him some time.”
In other words, whatever makeshift combination starts Monday against the Chargers better not get too comfortable together because more machinations are coming.
“I’ll have to put extra work in to get back to the muscle memory of being on the other side. It’s two totally different positions,” said Becton, who has played 410 of a possible 417 offensive snaps after missing most of the past two seasons due to knee injuries. “I just want to play football. I haven’t played in two years, so I don’t really give a damn where I’m at.”
Becton, who ranks No. 53 among NFL tackles by Pro Football Focus, is coming off an admittedly season-worst game against the Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux.
“I feel like I’ve been getting better every week except for last week,” Becton said. “I’m taking this week as a bounce-back week. I want to be better than what I did last week. It was everything I did wrong. It had nothing to do with the person I was going against.”
There are easier ways to bounce back than against the edge-rusher combination of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Becton allowed zero pressures on 31 pass-blocking snaps during a 2020 game against the Chargers — before Mack’s arrival.
“I’m expecting to be matched up with both of them,” Becton said. “I have to make my keys. I’m ready to go.”
With Alijah Vera-Tucker, Connor McGovern and Wes Schweitzer on injured reserve, the Jets hoped rookie Joe Tippmann would return to play either guard or center, but Saleh downplayed the likelihood of immediate help on the way.
So, the Jets could start the next game the same way that they finished the last: Becton, Laken Tomlinson, practicesquad elevation Xavier Newman snapping to Wilson, converted-tackle Billy Turner and Max Mitchell (left to right).
If that situation sounds like reason for Brown to rush back, he is not going to make that mistake again after he cut corners in his offseason shoulder surgery rehab to be a Week 1 starter and save the Jets from blocking problems — only to injure his hip in Week 2. Brown missed the cut block on the play that led to Aaron Rodgers’ torn Achilles.
“Coming back and having a few days of practice and going into a game, I don’t think I was quite ready yet,” Brown said. “It was mostly me wanting to play as much as possible. I don’t think it was me trying to come back to save anything.”
The Jets have 21 days to activate Brown from injured reserve or shut him down for the season.
“My upper-body strength has been a big part of my success throughout my career, so not having that initially was not ideal,” Brown said. “Now I feel a lot stronger than I did before. It will definitely benefit me going forward. Once I’m able to be comfortable, I’ll be where I need to be and play how I need to play.”
Saleh reiterated that Brown, 38, is one of the team’s “best five” linemen, which means musical chairs for all the others. Asked if playing on the right side leaves his surgically repaired knee more vulnerable — a claim he has made in the past — Becton said, “I don’t believe so.”
What does Becton believe? That he can help the Jets by staying on the field. “I don’t understand why my durability was questioned,” he said. “I had a freak injury that wasn’t even my fault. It’s not like I went out there and said, ‘I’m going to get injured today.’ ”