Chargers’ newly-signed OL Mekhi Becton eager to team with Joe Alt
EL SEGUNDO — Newly-signed Chargers right guard Mekhi Becton met second-year right tackle Joe Alt the other day at the team’s training facility. Becton was already a fan of Alt’s play while Alt was a standout at Notre Dame and nothing changed his opinion of his new teammate as OTAs began Tuesday.
Becton described Alt as a “dancing bear.”
He meant that in a good way.
As in, Alt is light on his feet.
That’s no small feat for a man who stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 322 pounds.
Becton, who signed a two-year, $20 million contract last month after helping to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl championship after the 2024 season, had additional praise for his new teammate. Becton, 26, said he looked forward to playing alongside Alt when the season begins Sept. 5 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“He’s really good, a good player for sure,” Becton said, who is 6-7, 363.
It could be a promising union for the Chargers’ right side of their offensive line, especially given that Becton is coming off what some might consider to be his finest NFL season and that Alt was named to the Pro Football Writers Association’s all-rookie team for the 2024 season.
Becton wouldn’t proclaim the 2024 season as his best, but he acknowledged how others might see it that way. Actually, it would be hard to disagree with that assessment, especially considering he and the Eagles’ linemen cleared the way for Saquon Barkley to rush for more than 2,000 yards.
“I was healthy,” Becton said when asked to account for his improved play last season with the Eagles after sitting out for all of the 2022 season and playing less than stellar football in ’23 while with the New York Jets, who had drafted him in the first round in 2020. “I’m two years removed from knee surgery.”
A switch from left tackle with the Jets to right guard with the Eagles no doubt attracted the Chargers to Becton. Plus, Chargers assistant general manager Chad Alexander was the Jets’ director of player personnel when they drafted Becton with the 11th overall pick out of Louisville.
So, Becton seemed like a natural fit for the Chargers.
And the Chargers seemed like a natural fit for Becton.
Right next to Alt on the right side of the offensive line.
VEGAS VACATIONS
Becton said he celebrated the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory with a trip to Las Vegas. Naturally, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, so Becton didn’t elaborate except when asked about a return trip this past weekend to watch Wrestlemania 41 at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Raiders.
“That was a dope feeling, man,” he said of attending the two-night event. “My inner-childhood, I was excited as hell. The first day, the main event was crazy. I shed a tear. That’s how hyped I was. I hope my son can get into wrestling so I have a reason to go again. It was definitely fun, for sure.”
Becton said he was thrilled to see John Cena defeat Cody Rhodes in the main event Saturday to win his 17th world title, adding, “It was destined. I was happy it happened that way. I wasn’t expecting it to happen that way. I was expecting them to do him dirty, but I’m actually happy he got his 17th.”
Asked if he would ever step into the ring, Becton shook his head.
“No sir, no sir, no sir,” he said.
O-LINE SHUFFLE
With the right side of the offensive line more or less settled with Becton’s signing, the Chargers now must address their center and left guard positions during what looms as a very competitive set of offseason workouts that include a mandatory minicamp June 10-11-12.
GM Joe Hortiz said last week that Bradley Bozeman, last season’s starting center, would get competition from left guard Zion Johnson, who would get a tryout at center during the spring and into training camp in July and August. Rashawn Slater is set to retain his spot at left tackle.
“I feel like we got better up to this point,” Hortiz said of adding Becton. “We still have the draft ahead of us. We got better. I love Bradley. Did a great job for us last year. Zion is working at center. Bradley has played left guard. Zion has played guard and ‘Pip’ (Trey Pipkins III) can play guard and tackle.
“It’s going to be a competitive environment.”