The good news is that Mekhi Becton started at left tackle for the Jets on Thursday night in his first game action since Week One of the 2021 season.
The bad news is that Becton came out of the game after seven offensive snaps when he was expected to play 20-25 before departing. Becton did come back in on special teams, but head coach Robert Saleh said after the game that Becton’s knee “felt it a little bit” in his long-awaited return to the lineup. Becton acknowledged that he didn’t feel 100 percent when he spoke to reporters after the Hall of Fame Game.
“That turf isn’t friendly to people of my size and my type of injury,” Becton said, via Andy Vasquez of NJ.com. “So I was feeling it in warmups so I just pulled myself a little early. I’m good, though. I’m straight. Just a little discomfort.”
Saleh said Becton has “to build confidence in that thing and be able to push through whatever he might be feeling” in order to get to the next stage in his return to the lineup and that will be something to watch as the preseason continues to unfold for the Jets.
