Former Louisville OL Mekhi Becton Signs With Chargers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Mekhi Becton is heading out to the West Coast.

The former Louisville offensive lineman and Super Bowl champion has signed with the Los Angeles Chargers, the organization announced Friday night. It's a two-year, $20 million deal, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

After starting his career with the New York Jets, the 6-foot-7, 363-pound lineman spent the 2024 season with the Philadelphia Eagles - where he went on to have the best season of his career.

Becton started 15 of Philly's 17 regular season games at right guard, allowing only five sacks and 34 total pressures in 570 pass blocking snaps and 1,158 snaps overall. He also helped NFL Offensive Player of the Year running back Saquon Barkley rush 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The Highland Springs, Va. native also started in all three of the Eagles' playoff games, which culminated in a 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.

Becton was selected by the Jets in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and the former left tackle had a promising start to his career. He played in 14 games with 13 starts during his rookie season, and was ranked as the No. 31 overall tackle by Pro Football Focus.

But over the next two seasons, Becton struggled with injuries. In week one of the 2021 season, he suffered a season-ending knee cap dislocation and MCL sprain. He then suffered an avulsion fracture of the knee cap during training camp just before the 2022 season, and had to miss all of that year as well.

In part due to the injury concerns, New York declined the fifth-year option on Becton's rookie contract last offseason. During what wound up being his final year in the Big Apple last season, he made the switch to right tackle and started in 16 games. He later signed one-year deal with Philly worth up to $5.5 million.

Becton started all 33 games in which he played during his time at Louisville. He helped establish a resurgent Cardinals offense in 2019, was named First Team All-ACC as junior, and named the recipient of the 2019 ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy.

(Photo of Mekhi Becton: Geoff Burke - Imagn Images)

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