Mekhi Becton was the prized signing of the LA Chargers offseason in 2025. With the second-most cap space in the league heading into the offseason, the Chargers' biggest commitment was their two-year, $20 million deal with Becton.
Unfortunately, the Chargers may already have buyer's remorse and that may keep them from spending big in the future. Becton has not lived up to the price tag thus far, and for what feels like the 10th time this season, left Thursday's game against the Minnesota Vikings with an ankle injury.
Foster Sarell, who is normally a tackle, replaced Becton at right guard. Sarell played alongside Bobby Hart, who was unemployed two months ago. It looked exactly how you'd expect a Sarell-Hart tandem to look. Becton's lack of durability is crushing the Chargers.
Mekhi Becton's Chargers' tenure couldn't have started worse
Becton's injury-prone nature isn't new. This was the story around Becton, who could never stay healthy with the New York Jets after they drafted him early in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. That's why the Jets declined his fifth-year rookie option and let him walk.
Becton spent one year with the Philadelphia Eagles and the results were great. He switched from tackle to right guard and was a crucial component for the Eagles' offensive success. That's what earned him the largest pay day the Chargers were willing to give out,
Unfortunately, the Eagles ecosystem tends to make players look better than they actually are and that may be the case with Becton. The injury concerns have returned and his play has diminished along with it.
Pro Football Focus grades are by no means the end all be all, but it's important to note that Becton had a 41.4 overall grade heading into Thursday's game. He ranked 77th among 82 qualified guards. It does not matter how much you believe in PFF grades, there's no good way to spin that performance.
Even if you think Becton is playing above his PFF grade, you can't deny the injury concerns. This is the third injury that has resulted in Becton missing some time. He missed Week 4 with a concussion and later suffered a hand injury that forced him to play in a club.
It's unclear how long this ankle injury will put him on the shelf. The Chargers do have a mini-bye after playing on Thursday, giving Becton more time to recover. But with yet another injury in seven short weeks, it's hard to expect Becton to stay healthy even if this ankle injury isn't a long-term issue.