With the injuries and the inconsistent performance that the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive line has faced this season, fans were not surprised to see yet another combination of tackles start the game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Yet, one thing that might have gone relatively unnoticed at the start of the game, the rotation of Mekhi Becton and Trevor Penning at right guard, may have more lasting ramifications than many realize.
Becton has already made his frustrations with the way the team has handled his injuries and his playing time this season public, and, if he continues to lose snaps as the season comes to a close, Chargers fans can likely consider him as good as gone this offseason.
As Mekhi Becton continues to struggle, his relationship with the Chargers could be coming to an end
"It hasn't been what I wanted... It just wasn't what I wanted."Mekhi Becton
Becton was quoted as saying the above following the Chargers' brutal, blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11, when he was pulled for a drive and apparently was not given an explanation from the coaching staff as to the reason why. Yet, this quote, in an eery way, also signifies something dismal about the short time that Becton has spent in Los Angeles.
After moving to the interior last year with the Philadelphia Eagles and having a career season for the Super Bowl champions, the Chargers signed him to a two-year, $20 million contrat with the hope that he could help solidify the shaky interior of their line.
Yet, he has struggled with injuries, and, when he has been healthy, he has been among the least effective guards in the league according to many metrics.
It's safe to say that this season has been frustrating for both parties.
In their victory over the Chiefs, Becton played only 80% of the offensive snaps despite not being listed on the injury report the entire week leading up to the game. Every other starting offensive lineman played 100% of the snaps.
#Chargers snap counts vs. Chiefs pic.twitter.com/YaxNQiZotv
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) December 15, 2025
Becton has made clear that his frustrations boiled over specifically when he had snaps taken away from him, and Los Angeles's decision to rotate him and Penning almost certainly did not help the situation.
When asked about in Monday's press conference, Jim Harbaugh explained that it was a result of an injury that occurred in-game, and that Becton simply needed time to "walk it off". For any other player, this might seem like an innocuous development: one that happens naturally in the course of many games.
With Becton, however, there is a higher level of concern at play here.
It goes without saying that Los Angeles needs to overhaul the interior of its offensive line this offseason, and there will be some tough decisions to be made. Yet, if things keep going the way they have been, no one would be surprised if Becton makes one of those choices easier by demanding his way out.