Chargers' big free-agent signing likely benched after months of poor play

The Los Angeles Chargers decided to have their big free agency move of 2025 be the signing of guard Mekhi Becton. A move that initially brought concern, considering he has only played one year of offensive guard, the one year he has looked like a real NFL pro.

However, doubters began to be silenced due to his relatively cheap contract of two years, 20 million, with an option to cut him after the first season. A smaller contract coupled with his Super Bowl experience and first-round pedigree, this signing had the works to be a steal if he continued the path he was set on since his signing with the Eagles in 2024.

Now, late into 2025, Becton and the Chargers have been through a lot of ups and downs. It has seemingly all come to an abrupt stop late in the season.

Chargers big free agent signing likely benched after months of poor play

The Chargers big free agent signee's ups and downs are mainly summarized by his snap counts listed in a previous article. For some further quick context, Becton started the first month of the season hot. Since then, he has been more banged up than ever and has been a weak link of a really bad offensive line. He has also complained publicly about how the Chargers have handled his injuries.

All of these complaints and poor performances, coupled with generally missing time, added up. As of Christmas Eve, he is now finding himself as a limited designation in practice with a knee injury. With this designation, you would expect him to be still with the starting offensive line, like he has all season, right?

wednesday's #HOUvsLAC injury report pic.twitter.com/llpMVtcRwb
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) December 24, 2025

No. According to credentialed writer Kris Rhim, the Chargers' starting offensive line (without Jamaree Salyer) is: LT Bobby Hart, LG Zion Johnson, C Bradley Bozeman, RG Trevor Penning, RT Trey Pipkins. Becton is obviously missing from the lineup, yielding the real possibility that the Chargers finally pulled the plug on Becton.

Doing so this late in the season is definitely an interesting choice, considering offensive line play is very reliant on continuity and communication; however, the Chargers really did not have that anyway with all of the injuries suffered from the unit.

The Bolts face off against the Houston Texans on Saturday, giving this new-look offensive line the biggest test right off the bat.

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