Gang Green has finally decided on the future of its former first-round pick ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline to pick up his option.
According to a league source, the Jets have declined to pick up tackle Mekhi Becton’s fifth-year option for the 2024 season. ESPN was the first to report the news of Gang Green’s decision.
According to the NFL’s collecting bargaining agreement, teams can exercise an option of a former first-round pick ahead of their fourth season in the league. The salary is determined by a formula by position, playing time, etc.
If the Jets had picked up his option, that would have fully guaranteed Becton a salary of $13.5 million for the 2024 season. The 2023 season will be the final year of his contract, which will pay him a based salary of $3.125 million after he was selected 11th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Louisville.
The fifth-year option became fully guaranteed with the new CBA in 2020. Before that, the fifth-year option was only guaranteed by injury, as a player could be released and not receive the money.
Not picking up Becton’s options does not preclude them from retaining him beyond the 2023 season. It just means Becton would become an unrestricted free agent if the Jets do not place the franchise tag on him.
The reason the Jets decided not to pick up Becton’s fifth-year option is simple, availability is the best ability and he has hardly played the last two seasons. Following his rookie campaign in 2020, in which he started 13 games at left tackle, Becton has only played one game in the previous two years.
In the 2021 season opener against the Panthers, Becton suffered a knee injury, and he missed the remainder of the year. Also while rehabbing from his knee injury, Becton’s weight reportedly ballooned to 400 pounds last year.
Although he dropped some weight before training camp, Becton suffered a fracture of his right kneecap during practice on Aug. 8 and missed the entire 2022 season. Now Becton hopes to reclaim a starting role on the Jets offensive line as he looks like a new man this offseason.
According to reports, Becton has lost over 50 pounds since last training camp. Earlier this year, Becton tweeted “LT1,” which stands for left tackle one. It remains to be seen if he becomes a starter either at left or right tackle for the Jets.
“It’s definitely been humbling,” Becton said in January about his injuries the last couple of years. “It’s hard when you’re injured when it’s not your fault. But people continue to put the blame on you saying it’s your fault when you got hurt.
“It’s definitely humbling for sure.”
After Becton’s injury, the Jets signed veteran Duane Brown, who started 12 games at left tackle last season. But he played all year with a shoulder injury he eventually had surgery on this offseason.
Becton will also have to compete with Max Mitchell, newest Jets fourth-round draft pick Carter Warren and Billy Turner, who the team signed Monday for playing time.