The New Orleans Saints need a left guard, and one of Kellen Moore's forrmer players could be right back on the market. Former Philadelphia Eagles guard Mekhi Becton made a pitstop with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025 but he may hit the market again after just one year.
EssentiallySports' Tony Pauline reported that the whispers at the East-West Shrine Bowl are that the Chargers are disappointed in their investment in Becton. Despite signing him to a two-year contract last offseason, the Chargers are expected to opt out.
The Saints need a left guard desperately. It's arguably the biggest need on the team. If there was one position to make a splash, that's the one. What if you don't have to? Becton was a fan favorite target when Moore was first hired. A year later, Becton won't cost much but still possesses the reason fans wanted him in the first place. That connection could produce a win-win for both sides.
Kellen Moore can save Mekhi Becton's career again
When looking at Becton's career, you could easily say his one year in Philadelphia was a fluke. He had a poor tenure with the Jets, marred by weight issues. His time in Los Angeles has the staff reportedly wanting to pull the plug a year into the experiment. Becton's 2024 season is the glowing light in his career.
To take a more optimistic view at Becton, you shouldn't see his year in Philadelphia as an aberration. Rather than viewing it as a fluke, that season should be looked at through the lens of what he could do in a proper system. That system starts with Kellen Moore.
Becton was in a similar situation after 2023. The Jets didn't pick up his fifth-year option or re-sign Becton. He went into free agency looking like a bust four years into his career. Moore brought him to the Eagles and slid Becton inside to guard. That move paid off immediately.
The result was a career year for Becton. It's a success that clearly didn't translate to Los Angeles. Maybe Moore was the magic touch. Additionally, the Saints have former Eagles run game coordinator, T.J. Paganetti. The pairing of Moore and Paganetti have found success with Becton could be exactly what the guard needs for a second rebirth.
Becton is a little risky. He's coming off another down year, and it would be hard to fault anyone who views him as a one hit wonder. It probably won't be the splash fans are looking for, but it could be a low risk option in free agency that has a high upside and experience in Moore's system.