Mekhi Becton's tenure with the LA Chargers lasted just one season. Less than 365 days after he signed a two-year deal with the team, the Chargers released him for cap space following a disappointing 2025 campaign.
Becton finds himself back on the free-agent market with a much lower stock than a year ago. The former first-round pick will almost certainly sign a cheap one-year deal to prove his value before trying to cash in on another multi-year deal next offseason.
This approach worked with the Philadelphia Eagles two years ago and it might work again if he simply rejoins the offensive coordinator that put him in the best position to succeed. Of all the potential landing spots in the NFL, the team that undoubtedly makes the most sense for Becton is Kellen Moore's New Orleans Saints.
The Saints make the most sense for Mekhi Becton following Chargers release
New Orleans has a need at left guard and if the team had more resources, perhaps Moore would make a run at another player he previously coached, Zion Johnson. But with the Saints over the salary cap, the team has to prioritize more cost-effective options.
Becton and his perceived one-year deal should be more than manageable for the Saints to take on once the team makes moves to get under the salary cap. And for Becton, the Saints represent an opportunity to start and play for the coach who put him in a good position to succeed before.
Moore, who served as the Eagles' offensive coordinator in 2024, is a big proponent of running the football and has been clear about his desire to improve the run game in 2026. As bad as Becton was for the Chargers in 2025, Moore has seen firsthand how productive he can be in the right system as a run blocker.
It may not be a long-term fix, but it would give the Saints someone to bet on to also open the door to draft other positions early in the 2026 NFL Draft. It would definitely be a risk considering how Becton played last year, but it's a risk Moore is at least familiar with.
This would be ironic for Chargers fans, too, as Becton would join another LA castoff in Brandon Staley. Staley, surprisingly, had a good season with the Saints as the team's defensive coordinator, and perhaps Becton could follow suit.
Either way, the former first-round pick no longer made sense for the Chargers, who can use the $9.7 million in cap space more effectively this offseason.