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Mekhi Becton suffered a knee injury during the New York Jets' loss to the Carolina Panthers. Nothing is confirmed, but it looks like Becton will be missing in the near future at the very least. With their starting left tackle off the field, the Jets will need to make an addition to the team to fill the Becton-sized hole in the roster. Unfortunately, options are limited. Here's who is available.
3 best options to stand in for Mekhi Becton
#1 - Mitchell Schwartz
Mitchell Schwartz should already be on an NFL roster as a swing tackle or better. After this weekend, the odds are high that Schwartz will be getting calls. The Jets need to make sure the offensive tackle picks up the phone. Schwartz spent his entire career with the Kansas City Chiefs before getting released after last season.
He's blocked for Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes and could do a good job for Zach Wilson as well. Injuries hobbled him last season, but he still earned a PFF score of 74.7 in the 357 snaps he played. He allowed two sacks and had one penalty as well. The Jets are relatively devoid of mentors on offense, so adding Schwartz would make sense.
Also, on the off chance the Jets make the playoffs this year, Schwartz would be a great model to the other players for handling the pressure. At 32 years old, Schwartz would not be a multi-year change, but in 2021, he would be the best option to replace Becton.
#2 - Rick Wagner
It's a mystery as to why Rick Wagner doesn't have a home. The former Green Bay Packers tackle played 610 snaps last season and didn't have a penalty against him. He also allowed only one sack. His PFF grade was a 77.0. By signing Wagner, the Jets could be getting an upgrade at the position.
That said, at almost 32 years old, Wagner would not be a long-term solution. Becton would still be the future of the position, but he could also learn from an industry veteran in the position. Wagner also brings an element of playoff experience to the Jets due to his time spent with Green Bay.
#3 - Russell Okung
If the Jets miss out on Mitchell Schwartz and Rick Wagner, their next best option is Russell Okung. Okung is a veteran who's been around the block. He knows a lot of different schemes, so he should be able to fit in rather quickly with the Jets. He's about to turn 34 years old, so he would be a one-year addition in all likelihood.
He played 406 snaps in 2020, earning a solid 73.0 PFF grade. He had four penalties and allowed three sacks. He wouldn't be a spectacular replacement, but he could roughly match Becton's performances from last year. In 2020, Becton played 700 snaps, had seven penalties and seven sacks and earned a 74.4 PFF grade.
