Becton delivers early statement in camp…

[IndianaJet]

https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/89954/absolutely-grinding-new-york-jets-big-man-mekhi-becton-delivers-early-statement-in-camp
 

 

ESPN.com: New York Jets[Print without images]

 

Sunday, August 7, 2022

'Absolutely grinding': New York Jets big man Mekhi Becton delivers early statement in camp

By Rich Cimini
ESPNNewYork.com

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:

1a. No days off: The team's mantra, courtesy of coach Robert Saleh, is "all gas, no brake." For Mekhi Becton, it's "all gas, no break."

The 6-foot-7 right tackle, whose fluctuating weight was the storyline of the post-draft offseason, showed up to training camp in much better shape than minicamp and has participated in virtually every team rep with the starting offense. There were a couple of wobbly moments on an oppressively hot day in the first week, but Becton powered through the first eight practices.

For a man with his size (about 370 pounds) and history, that's no small accomplishment. Teammates have said he appears more determined than ever, with Becton himself saying his goal is to make skeptics "eat their words." There's a lot of football to be played, but this is an early win for the Jets.

"I just appreciate the fact that he is absolutely grinding through, making it uncomfortable for himself," Saleh said. "He’s getting better every day. He’s getting more confident every day. [I'm] really pleased with the direction he’s going in."

Finishing is important. The 2020 first-round pick has started 14 of a possible 33 games, unable to complete six of them because of various injuries. When he's on the field, he has the ability to move people in the running game. The key is keeping him healthy and in shape, because the Jets are riding with him after passing up the top tackles in the draft.

Becton is learning a new position and a new scheme, one designed for smaller linemen because of the premium on movement skills, but the Jets don't seem worried about him playing the right side in a zone-blocking system. But realistically, you have to expect some growing pains.

"He is special," Saleh said. "Really, the only thing that could ever stand in the way of Mekhi is Mekhi."

1b. Help on the way? The Jets hosted free agent tackle Duane Brown Saturday night at the Green & White scrimmage at MetLife Stadium. He has started 203 games at left tackle in his career, but the Jets see him as a backup swing tackle. He will be 37 on Aug. 30, but he was a solid performer in 17 starts last season for the Seattle Seahawks. He’d be this year’s Morgan Moses, so to speak. The current backups, Chuma Edoga and Conor McDermott, aren’t ideal insurance policies.

2. Young buck(eye): Rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson has all sorts of talent, but he hit a lull when the pads went on. That often happens to young receivers because the cornerbacks get more physical at the line of scrimmage.

Another observation: The former Ohio State star is very hard on himself. If he doesn't come down with a ball, even a contested ball, he's visibly frustrated. He acknowledged as much, saying, "I hold myself to a really high standard." That can be a double-edged sword. You want a player who demands greatness of himself, but you don't want him to start pressing. He said some of his fellow receivers are helping him navigate the rough patches.

3. Trade? The Jets have solid depth at wide receiver -- at least six deep -- which could make them a popular team later in the preseason when trading starts to heat up. The Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys already have lost key receivers to significant camp injuries -- Tim Patrick and James Washington, respectively -- so they could be looking. The obvious trade candidate would be Denzel Mims. He’s having a solid camp, but it could be a numbers game. Right now, he’s no better than fifth or sixth in the pecking order.

Mims said he’s worthy of a starting role, claiming, “I show it every day. It’s up to them if they play me or not.” Sounds like someone who might not be happy in a backup role.

4. Painting Canton green? There could be a big Jets presence in Canton, Ohio, next summer if Joe Klecko and Darrelle Revis, arguably the two best defensive players in franchise history, are selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Klecko is one of 12 finalists in the senior category and Revis is on the modern-era ballot for the first time, which triggers a question: Could the Jets be chosen to play in the 2023 Hall of Fame Game? It's definitely something to watch for, considering they haven't played in the game since 1992.

As for Klecko's candidacy, the 12-person senior committee meets via Zoom on Aug. 16 to cut the 12 to the final three. Those three must be approved by the full committee in January, but that is considered a formality. It's hard to predict these things, but there's a sense that Klecko has a lot of positive momentum among senior voters.

5. D-line surplus: Opposing teams will be scouting the Jets' defensive line throughout the preseason because they know two or three NFL-caliber players are bound to shake free. They figure to carry at least nine into the season, last year's count. If they go with 10, it means stealing a spot from another position, and that's tough to do when you're carrying three quarterbacks.

In my opinion, they have 12 roster-worthy linemen. One of them is Vinny Curry, 34, a well-respected leader with a great story, but he could have a tough time making the team because of the numbers game.

6. Seeing red: The Jets want to see a lot of improvement from quarterback Zach Wilson in the red zone. It was "a sticking point" in the first few practices, according to Saleh, but Wilson responded with a strong performance on Wednesday. Why is this an area of emphasis? Consider:

Wilson had only six touchdown passes in 48 dropbacks in the red zone last season, 29th among 31 qualified passers. Mike White nearly matched that touchdown total (five) in only 13 dropbacks. The league average for qualified passers was 16.5, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The action is faster and the windows are smaller inside the 20, but the good ones find a way.

7. Leak or no leak? The Jets allowed the fourth-most rushing yards last season (2,343) and lost their best run-stopping defensive lineman (Folorunso Fatukasi, team-leading 42.9% run stop win rate in 2021) in free agency, so it's fair to question the state of the run defense. Saleh said he's not worried, claiming the numbers got skewed by long runs. He said they actually finished in the "top half of the league" from an efficiency standpoint, based on analytics.

So we checked ... and he's right. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, they Jets ranked 13th in run-stopping success rate (61.2%) -- a stat that measures success based on the down-and-distance. Now the trick is reducing the number of explosive runs, because they can be game-changers.

8. Ambassador of Kwon: One of the early surprises in camp is newly signed linebacker Kwon Alexander, who reported in excellent shape for someone who hadn't been with a team since last season. He has been active on defense and the sideline, coaching up some of his new teammates. He had barely broken a sweat before offering scheme tips to Quincy Williams, who appreciated the intel.

Barring injury, Alexander is a safe bet to win the third linebacker job, joining Williams and C.J. Mosley. The Jets used three 'backers only 30% of the time last season, so you wonder if they'll find a way to give Alexander some run in the nickel package (two linebackers). As Saleh said, "He's definitely making it hard to keep him off the field."

9. The Buc stopped here: The Jets are still trying to figure out why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers let safety Jordan Whitehead hit the open market. So far, they're thrilled with him, especially his ability to make pre-snap adjustments. One of those plays was highlighted in a film session with the entire team.

10. The last word: "The expectations, to a man, have to be the best defense in the league. ... What's the point of showing up to the race if you're going to say, 'Third is cool'?" -- defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins

 

 

 

 

 

So apparently his pitch count last night  was well earned after ‘“participating in virtually every team rep” in camp thus far. 
 

Also, didn’t realize the next cut down for Klecko comes so soon.  

[Jethead]

Cimini making amends.

[TuscanyTile2]

 

[Trotter]

14 minutes ago, Jethead said:

Cimini making amends.

How I read it as well

[TuscanyTile2]

2 hours ago, IndianaJet said:

https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/89954/absolutely-grinding-new-york-jets-big-man-mekhi-becton-delivers-early-statement-in-camp

2. Young buck(eye): Rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson has all sorts of talent, but he hit a lull when the pads went on. That often happens to young receivers because the cornerbacks get more physical at the line of scrimmage.

Another observation: The former Ohio State star is very hard on himself. If he doesn't come down with a ball, even a contested ball, he's visibly frustrated. He acknowledged as much, saying, "I hold myself to a really high standard." That can be a double-edged sword. You want a player who demands greatness of himself, but you don't want him to start pressing. He said some of his fellow receivers are helping him navigate the rough patches.

Liking everything I'm reading about GW so far.

 

Quote

3. Trade? The Jets have solid depth at wide receiver -- at least six deep -- which could make them a popular team later in the preseason when trading starts to heat up. The Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys already have lost key receivers to significant camp injuries -- Tim Patrick and James Washington, respectively -- so they could be looking. The obvious trade candidate would be Denzel Mims. He’s having a solid camp, but it could be a numbers game. Right now, he’s no better than fifth or sixth in the pecking order.

Mims said he’s worthy of a starting role, claiming, “I show it every day. It’s up to them if they play me or not.” Sounds like someone who might not be happy in a backup role.

I have a bad feeling JD is going to just dump Mimsy and then he's going to turn into a player.  His rookie year, after he got healthy, he looked like a solid WR to me.  I don't see why he can't get back to that and then improve from there.  I really hope he sticks around.  His trade value can't be very high right now anyway so what would be the point of trading him right now anyway?

 

Quote

4. Painting Canton green? There could be a big Jets presence in Canton, Ohio, next summer if Joe Klecko and Darrelle Revis, arguably the two best defensive players in franchise history, are selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Klecko is one of 12 finalists in the senior category and Revis is on the modern-era ballot for the first time, which triggers a question: Could the Jets be chosen to play in the 2023 Hall of Fame Game? It's definitely something to watch for, considering they haven't played in the game since 1992.

The Jets added a HOF presence in Mike White.  Now it's starting to catch on.  This franchise should be indebted to the man.  Trade Flacco and sign Mike White to a long-term deal.

Quote

10. The last word: "The expectations, to a man, have to be the best defense in the league. ... What's the point of showing up to the race if you're going to say, 'Third is cool'?" -- defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins

The #3 overall defense in the NFL would be more than cool with me.

[munchmemory]

[JustInFudge]

2 hours ago, Jethead said:

Cimini making amends.

The line to walk it back, will be long.  @freestater will be last in line.

[Joe Willie White Shoes]

A measured, balanced, informative article by Cimini.  Will wonders never cease?

[tommyduhamelshouse]

no time to read it all

Becton: mixed bag so far.

I am skeptical.

[Darnold's Forehead]

Not saying Becton is free of any blame but the fact that many people here thought he’d never play another snap with us just shows you that at least 25% of our fan base is allergic to thinking.

[Bungaman]

The Jets used three 'backers only 30% of the time last season, so you wonder if they'll find a way to give Alexander some run in the nickel package (two linebackers). As Saleh said, "He's definitely making it hard to keep him off the field."

Maybe that number will go up, rather than remain the same, now that there are three worthy LB's to put on the field. Especially because Alexander is not a liability in coverage.

 

[T0mShane]

How low is the bar for a former 11th overall pick when the best thing you can say about him is that he’s participating in training camp?

[Bowles Movement]

5 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

How low is the bar for a former 11th overall pick when the best thing you can say about him is that he’s participating in training camp?

That’s the best thing YOU can say.  Both Saleh and Lafleur have been very complimentary.

[freestater]

55 minutes ago, JiFapono said:

The line to walk it back, will be long.  @freestater will be last in line.

I lie awake at night, trembling. 

[freestater]

11 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

How low is the bar for a former 11th overall pick when the best thing you can say about him is that he’s participating in training camp?

[JTJet]

3 hours ago, Jethead said:

Cimini making amends.

That's all this is. Fluff article. 

[JTJet]

13 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

How low is the bar for a former 11th overall pick when the best thing you can say about him is that he’s participating in training camp?

Curiously omitted are the 10+ sacks he allowed in those 8 practices. 

[Drums]

The whole team needs to keep chipping away at the doubts and no one will be complaining anymore. I was a Becton supporter, but the doubters have nothing to complain about right now, Becton is doing what he needs to do. Good news for all and a much better experience reading these boards so far this August. 

[Larz]

Please god, we deserve this team to get to week 1 healthy. 
 

please 

[Drums]

4 hours ago, Bungaman said:

The Jets used three 'backers only 30% of the time last season, so you wonder if they'll find a way to give Alexander some run in the nickel package (two linebackers). As Saleh said, "He's definitely making it hard to keep him off the field."

Maybe that number will go up, rather than remain the same, now that there are three worthy LB's to put on the field. Especially because Alexander is not a liability in coverage.

 

I've been pleasantly surprised at how often his name is mentioned in tweets. Haven't seen them mention any of the other LBs nearly as often. I take it with a grain of salt but it'll be something to look forward to in preseason and joint practices as we ramp up to the real season. If he can come in and make an impact, woah. Big win for us. 

[JTJet]

30 minutes ago, Darnold's Forehead said:

Not saying Becton is free of any blame but the fact that many people here thought he’d never play another snap with us just shows you that at least 25% of our fan base is allergic to thinking.

Except this was never a thing. I am one of the biggest anti-Becton people on here, if not THE biggest, and even I never said he would never play another snap for the Jets. 

I did however say that the moment he went out of that game that he would miss the season, and I got roasted for it. 

[Jethead]

7 minutes ago, JTJet said:

That's all this is. Fluff article. 

Cimini took a shot at him last week that was over the top, click bait. He knew it and was evening the scale. 

[T0mShane]

4 minutes ago, JTJet said:

Curiously omitted are the 10+ sacks he allowed in those 8 practices. 

It’s gotta be a drag to be one of the veteran OL guys in this team—Laken Tomlinson, Connor McGovern, even AVT—who show up every day, put in the work, grind your ass off to stay in shape, and you have to watch an entire organization circle the wagons to treat a mushy-soft 6’7”, 380 man-child like a suckling baby solely because he was a high pick once.

[JTJet]

2 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

It’s gotta be a drag to be one of the veteran OL guys in this team—Laken Tomlinson, Connor McGovern, even AVT—who show up every day, put in the work, grind your ass off to stay in shape, and you have to watch an entire organization circle the wagons to treat a mushy-soft 6’7”, 380 man-child like a suckling baby solely because he was a high pick once.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Jets reached out to Cimini and asked him to dial it back about Becton in exchange for a future scoop. 

[Embrace the Suck]

4 hours ago, IndianaJet said:

Becton himself saying his goal is to make skeptics "eat their words." There's a lot of football to be played, but this is an early win for the Jets.

So he showed up to mini camp out of shape, and his detractors words motivated him. Good, don't put us in the position of having to question your desire as a pro again. Clearly he needed the criticism, or else he may have come into camp out of shape again as he did last year. Some of these guys get drafted and think they made it when in reality the hard work is just getting started as their physical gifts alone aren't enough at the big show level as they were previously.

[T0mShane]

4 minutes ago, JTJet said:

It wouldn't surprise me if the Jets reached out to Cimini and asked him to dial it back about Becton in exchange for a future scoop. 

There was also that weird bit in the hacky “pleasant surprises” article about Becton being in “excellent shape with a great attitude!” No reporter covers a team like that using that language. That’d be Eric Allen territory. I think it’s consistent with Saleh’s MO to motivate with positivity, and it seems there’s a clear directive to gas up Becton at every turn to see if they can get anything out of him. We know for a fact that Becton is overly sensitive to negative criticism, and I’d imagine that any type of hard coaching would literally put him on the IR.

[JTJet]

3 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

There was also that weird bit in the hacky “pleasant surprises” article about Becton being in “excellent shape with a great attitude!” No reporter covers a team like that using that language. That’d be Eric Allen territory. I think it’s consistent with Saleh’s MO to motivate with positivity, and it seems there’s a clear directive to gas up Becton at every turn to see if they can get anything out of him. We know for a fact that Becton is overly sensitive to negative criticism, and I’d imagine that any type of hard coaching would literally put him on the IR.

Exactly. Like some rando reporter would even have ANY notion of what Bectons attitude is like from 5 minutes of a post practice interview. 

[Jet_Engine1]

33 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

How low is the bar for a former 11th overall pick when the best thing you can say about him is that he’s participating in training camp?

Apparently the tough love approach some of us have taken with Mekhi acted as a positive motivator to him. I mean, his reasons for actually training, participating and working hard weren't because he wanted to better himself, master his craft, earn the contract he was given or anything valorous, but to, in his own words, "silence the HayTeRzZ"

[Larz]

17 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

There was also that weird bit in the hacky “pleasant surprises” article about Becton being in “excellent shape with a great attitude!” No reporter covers a team like that using that language. That’d be Eric Allen territory. I think it’s consistent with Saleh’s MO to motivate with positivity, and it seems there’s a clear directive to gas up Becton at every turn to see if they can get anything out of him. We know for a fact that Becton is overly sensitive to negative criticism, and I’d imagine that any type of hard coaching would literally put him on the IR.

Hey check it out the mayor of somber town with the hot take 

[Jet Nut]

52 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

How low is the bar for a former 11th overall pick when the best thing you can say about him is that he’s participating in training camp?

Interesting take.  
Funny you believe that was the best thing he said about Becton, not that he proved all of you wrong, made the countless fat, lazy, uninspired jokes look foolish by showing up in top shape 

Time to move on to disparaging the messenger.  Beats admitting you guys were so wrong

[Dunnie]

Cimini making amends.

No room for him in picking off easy negative low hanging fruit since Connor's ascendance in that regard ... good to see really ... when cimini applies himself... he is a really good read.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

[IndianaJet]

35 minutes ago, JTJet said:

Except this was never a thing. 

 

Yeah it was.  Just go back two weeks ago when the Jets put Becton, Lawson and a few others on the pup list 5 days before camp officially started.  
 

There were posters in that thread who wanted to cut him outright. 

[T0mShane]

1 minute ago, Jet Nut said:

Interesting take.  
Funny you believe that was the best thing he said about Becton, not that he proved all of you wrong, made the countless fat, lazy, uninspired jokes look foolish by showing up in top shape 

Read it again, my friend. It specifically states that he “showed up in much better shape than minicamp,” when he weighed 397 pounds and was sweating butter 

 

4 hours ago, IndianaJet said:

[T0mShane]

2 minutes ago, IndianaJet said:

Yeah it was.  Just go back two weeks ago when the Jets put Becton, Lawson and a few others on the pup list 5 days before camp officially started.  
 

There were posters in that thread who wanted to cut him outright. 

The Athletic’s draft guy Dane Brugler reported that he heard from people this offseason that Becton might never take another snap in a Jets uniform, which is where a lot of that sentiment emanated from. 

[JTJet]

4 minutes ago, IndianaJet said:

Yeah it was.  Just go back two weeks ago when the Jets put Becton, Lawson and a few others on the pup list 5 days before camp officially started.  
 

There were posters in that thread who wanted to cut him outright. 

Sure. Like 5 people. 

There are also 5 people that still believe we should have stuck with Darnold roaming around the board. Doesnt mean it's some widely thought belief. 

It was being made out to be 25% of the fan base. Which is just dumb.