Jets' Mekhi Becton dominates in joint practice with Panthers
The Jets' Mekhi Becton, left, talks with Connor McGovern during a practice at the team's training facility in Florham Park, N.J., on July 20. Credit: AP/Seth Wenig
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Robert Saleh said Wednesday’s practice would be “a good test” for Mekhi Becton and the tackle did not disappoint.
Playing with the second team, Becton was a dominant force in one-on-one and team drills. At one point, he overpowered Panthers' linebacker Eku Leota on a run block that was so physically impressive Saleh ran onto the field to congratulate him. More importantly perhaps, Becton did not appear to have to miss any reps as he returns from his second ACL surgery.
“There’s no one denying the young man’s talent. So, the talent part and evaluating his ability to go play-to-play and dominate his one-on-ones isn’t even it. It’s just evaluating and making sure he’s in the right headspace and confident in his knee, so he can continue to build towards what we think he can be,” Saleh said
Notes & quotes: Two of the Jets’ young stars did not participate in the joint practice. Saleh said CB Sauce Gardner “felt something” in his quad on Tuesday so he was held out of this workout while WR Garrett Wilson, coming back from a sprained ankle, did some individual drills but saw no team reps. CB Bryce Hall, LB Carl Lawson and LB Chazz Surratt also sat out with injuries … There were not many flare ups of tempers between the two teams but the one drill that got chippy was between Panthers' punt gunners and the Jets who were trying to block them. Those reps became so physical that, at one point, the blocks spilled a good 15 yards past the sideline and knocked running back Michael Carter, a bystander, into a pile of pads … The two teams are scheduled to practice on Thursday morning but it will be less physical as they lose their full pads and go in helmets and shorts.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
