Free Agent Spotlight: Mekhi Becton. Would be worth the risk for us?

[JW82]

I'd like to see what Adams and riley can make out of these young players before they add any expensive vet help. I'd be spending on front 7 defenders and drafting wr, Rb DT. If they need to make a trade later for oline help so be it.

 

[Corso]

No.... he was surrounded by 4 ProBowler and /or AllPro oLinemen, on the best running team in football. He GREATLY benefitted from that. He also had the best oLine coach in the league

We don't have the best oLine in the league, or the best coach. We'd be paying (and paying a lot) for the Jet-version of Bechton... or worse.

They had Bill Callahan?

 

[CT Dal Fan]

I remember in 2007 the Cowboys signed Leonard Davis, who was a semi-bust at tackle in Arizona, to a big contract and he became a Pro Bowl guard here (back when Pro Bowls meant more).

If Becton agrees to some incentives in his deal (like staying under 370 pounds, for instance) I think he's a good fit. But something tells me the Cowboys are going to go after Will Hernandez instead due to the familiarity with OC Klayton Adams.

 

[DZSierra]

If he requires structure, a workman like culture, and needs to be held accountable (ie not a self starter/motivater), than this would be a waste of money.

I do think this is where winning produces success, and you hit the nail on the head of the potential issue.

The added issue is that winning doesn't always mean just being above .500 consistently, but it also means making the playoffs and trying to get better even when you go one and done.

I believe Becton did mention his OL coach with praise and I can't help but think if the guy is smart, he'll want more, but not to the point where he can't play with the same line that brought his level of play up to begin with.

 

[CowboysLakerBamaFan]

They had Bill Callahan?

If they had Bill Callahan as their o Line coach.... they woulda been pretty good, but they wouldn't have won 2 superbowls in the last 7 years.

Callahan coaches good o Linemen well. Stoutland creates great oLinemen. Over, and over, and over again.

No disrespect to Callahan...being Top 3 or 5 in your specialty is commendable!

 

[Hadenough]

History of lazy attitude and arguing with the coaches. I'll pass! Everyone around him was good and that inspired him in a showcase contract year. The Eagles won without him anyways.

 

[DZSierra]

History of lazy attitude and arguing with the coaches. I'll pass! Everyone around him was good and that inspired him in a showcase contract year. The Eagles won without him anyways.

Could be that everyone around him was good, and that they HELPED him become good.

Everything that I've recently read about Stoutland tells me his a great OL line coach.

We expect pro players to be good, but sometimes I think we forget how much good coaching can really matter in developing a player a "pro" player.

Let's face it, the Jets were a dumpster fire last year and of course the change of scenery probably worked wonders.

 

[exciter]

Mekhi Becton has had a breakout year by any standard. We need help on the offensive line. An interior of Smith-Beebe-Becton would be a key component to boosting our run game. Let's look at some pros and cons of this player.

Pros: He has the size (6'7", 363) and strength to just bowl over people. He did it all year. This was his first year playing the RG position. He pulls well for a man his size. He showed that he was willing to learn when a few parts of his technique were worked on with the o-line coach, and quickly learned the RG position. This seems to be the year when the lights came on for him. He became everything the Jets hoped he would have been at RT. He's a road grader in the run game. Rarely gets out-leveraged despite his height.

Cons: His years with the Jets were marked by lazy attitude, injury, arguing with coaches, and a refusal to try playing the guard position. I believe he was injured and missed games every year with the Jets. His knee injury cost him and entire season and most of another. Even last year he didn't start two games, but otherwise held up well. Came to camp one year weighing 400 pounds and didn't like the criticism he received. Was finally let go by the Jets and signed this year with the Eagles.

Things to consider: Becton probably knew this was his big chance to prove himself, and maybe his only chance to prove he could be a solid starter in the league. He walked into the best possible situation someone like him could hope for. Becton, in his own words, praises the Eagles culture and the bond and support structure that became a part of his new life. He accepted trying the guard position--he wasn't beating out the NFL's favorite P.E.D. boy Lane Johnson anyway--and dove into working with Jeff Stoutland. In an offhand comment, he said "One day I'm eating McDonald's, the next day I'm eating steak." Apparently, he's not the only player to leave the Jets and have similar thoughts.

Affects on his play: Is Becton partly a product of playing next to whom some consider to be the best OT in the game and an up and coming PB center? An interesting stat put out by the analytic nerds is the "left on an island" stat for tackles. Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, and Tristan Wirfs are in a league of their own in that stat. Knowing that the guy next to you playing tackle isn't going to blow assignments makes the guard's job easier. Also, he now was allowed to be coached by Jeff Stoutland, considered the Godfather of o-line coaching these days. New culture, new coach, need to prove himself...he did well.

Intangibles: Becton knows he is in line for a big payday, but has expressed to stay with Philly. Mailata publicly ask Roseman to somehow sign him. Becton's potential salary at guard is around $12-15 million/year, and higher at tackle.

The Big Question: If Becton has forsaken any desire to play tackle, would it be worth it to take a chance and offer Becton $15 million for three years to become a building block of our team? As stated earlier, Smith-Beebe-Becton has the potential to be a top-5 interior o-line in the NFL.

He moderately maintained his weight for 1 season. Probably in part because even he could sense the determination in the locker room.
It’s something he had never done during his career. Giving this guy anything close to the contract his agent is going to demand is going to end in disappointment. Simple logic says don’t even sniff in this guy’s direction!

 

[Coogiguy03]

HE WON'T PLAY ALL 17 GAMES!! He's Tyron Smith 2.0

 

[mcmvp]

It will be interesting to see what another team offers him…and for what I tended position.

 

[Aven8]

I don’t need a farewell Martin tour. I would sign him in a NY second. Having said that Howie will have him signed up in a Philly second……

 

[ksadler1]

"Lazy attitude and injury history"

He's definitely on Jerry's radar