NFL offseasons are funny like that. One minute you’re hoisting a Lombardi Trophy under a confetti storm, the next you’re staring down a contract clause that reads more like a breakup letter than a long-term commitment. As teams scramble to get under the salary cap before March 11, difficult decisions are being made in quiet conference rooms across the league.
Mekhi Becton Odd Man Out in the Chargers’ New Mike McDaniel Era
For the Los Angeles Chargers, one of these decisions appears to involve a former champion: Mekhi Becton.
At 26, Becton’s career already reads like a redemption arc with a sequel still in progress. Drafted in the first round by the New York Jets, he came to the NFL with great expectations and great size to match. Injuries and inconsistency complicated that first chapter, and what was supposed to be a long-term love story in New York ended earlier than anyone expected.
But then came Philadelphia.
With the Philadelphia Eagles, Becton reinvented himself. Sliding inside to right guard, he became a cornerstone of an offensive line that bullied defenses and powered its way to a Super Bowl 59 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. It was the sort of resurgence that makes general managers believe in second chances.
The Chargers certainly did. In March 2025, they signed Becton to a two-year, $20 million contract, a prove-it deal with a built-in safety net. The team option after Year 1 meant flexibility. If the partnership flourished, great. If not, there was a relatively painless exit.
And now, that exit seems increasingly likely.
There’s the philosophical shift that may matter most: Mike McDaniel.
The hiring of Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator might see a change in tone and tempo. McDaniel’s system leans heavily on outside-zone concepts, misdirection and linemen who can move laterally with ease. Becton, powerful and imposing at 6-foot-7 and over 350 pounds, wins with force and length more than quick-twitch fluidity. It’s not about effort, it’s about fit.
To add, releasing him would reportedly clear about $9.7 million in cap space for 2026, with $2.5 million in dead money attached. Given the Chargers’ broader need to reshape their roster and stay under the cap, the math alone makes the decision understandable.
But this isn’t only about numbers.
Becton had an inconsistent season, marked by both injury interruptions and dips in performance. He finished No. 199 on PFSN’s NFL Offensive Line Impact Metric with a score of 53.9. The Chargers’ line as a whole dealt with instability, particularly at tackle, but Becton’s play did not provide the steady interior anchor the team envisioned when they signed him, according to Fox Sports.
If this is indeed the end of Becton’s brief time in Los Angeles, it does not have to feel like a final chapter. There are already talks about a potential reunion with Philadelphia, where he thrived.
