Mekhi Becton is a really hard free agent to get a read on. I could really see it going either way with him being back on the Eagles or signing elsewhere.
Becton is just 25-years old (will be 26 in April) with experience at both guard and tackle. He has shown he can play guard at a relatively high level. The stats for Becton might not be great - 26 hurries/5 sacks allowed; graded 54th out of 80 OGs — but there is no question his first year at guard was a big success.
Becton also has experience at offensive tackle. The Eagles could easily look at Becton and pay up for a 25-year old good offensive linemen to keep continuity on the line with Lane Johnson, while also viewing him as a potential tackle option if needed.
It also can’t be understated how happy Becton is with the Eagles. Becton had a rough start to his career. The Eagles changed that. Fans always like to think a player would take less to stay with their team, but with Becton, I really think that could happen.
The bottom line is the Eagles like Becton and Becton like the Eagles. I think both want a reunion. The hard part to get a read on is what the open market will think of Becton.
Becton had a huge year in Philadelphia, but will other teams view that as a result of the coaching and players around him? If so, will that make them hesitant to pay Becton big dollars? Becton did not do well with the Jets, but to be fair nobody does. There simply just aren’t many 6-7, 350 pound Super Bowl winning offensive linemen out there. A team other than the Eagles is going to want to sign Becton.
The question is how high are the Eagles willing to go?
Comparable Contracts:
Cesar Ruiz, New Orleans
4-years, $44m, $27m guaranteed
Was 24-years old at signing
Ben Powers, Denver
4-years, $51m, $28m guaranteed
Was 26-years old at signing
Elgton Jenkins, Green Bay
4-years, $68m, $24m guaranteed
26-years old at signing
OVERALL TAKEAWAY:
I bet a 3-year, $48m-ish deal with around $23m guaranteed. Landon Dickerson got $29m guaranteed. It’s hard to see Becton topping that. The (inflated) average of $16m puts Becton right inside the top 10 of guard contracts. The $23m guaranteed is just outside the top 10. This contract feels like the sweet spot where Becton gets a big payday and the Eagles get a very good offensive linemen on a not massive contract.
Chances Eagles Re-Sign: 51%