The Philadelphia Eagles are offering a fresh start to two NFL Draft first-round disappointments, offensive tackle Mekhi Becton and wide receiver John Ross.
ESPN reported that 25-year-old Becton is set to sign a one-year deal with the Eagles, pending a physical examination. The contract was overseen by legendary Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.
Becton, who played 14 games in his rookie year at left tackle, starting 13, suffered a knee injury in the first game of the 2021 NFL season after an unfortunate incident involving a teammate. After it was discovered that Becton had damaged his cartilage, he underwent surgery, but the New York Jets did not rule him out for the season.
However, Becton missed the rest of the season and his weight ballooned to 400 pounds, leading the Jets to question if the 6-foot-7 tackle would play for them. Then, during the 2022 season's training camp, Becton injured the same knee, necessitating another surgery.
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Becton attributes his injury to added stress on his surgically repaired knee after the Jets coaching staff attempted to play him as the right tackle. After sitting out the entire 2022 season, Becton returned for the 2023 season 50 pounds lighter and played all 16 games - as a left tackle - in a comeback year.
However, the Jets declined his fifth-year option, paving the way for Becton to join the Eagles. In total, Becton played 31 games for the Jets over four years.
Meanwhile, Ross is set to try out for the Eagles in rookie minicamp, hoping to reignite his NFL career. The 28-year-old famously held the fastest 40-yard-dash time at the NFL Combine, clocking 4.22 seconds before Xavier Worthy broke it with a 4.21 second dash.
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Mekhi Becton has been bitten by the injury bug in recent years (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)Ross, who was drafted No. 9 overall in the 2017 draft, had a challenging first season with the Cincinnati Bengals under head coach Marvin Lewis. Whether due to injury or subpar performance, Ross never really found his stride with the Bengals, playing no more than 13 games in any season, which he achieved in his second year.
In his final year with Cincinnati (2020), Ross played just three games, catching two passes for 17 yards. He then signed a one-year deal with the New York Giants the following season, making 11 receptions and 224 yards.
After a two-year hiatus, Ross signed with the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the 2023 season, but announced his retirement before camp began. Overall, Ross has made 62 catches for 957 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career.
With Becton and Ross, the Eagles are exploring what each player can bring to the table at this point in their careers, despite both being relatively young by NFL standards. While one has the potential to make a significant impact on the roster, the other will have to battle to secure a spot on the team.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
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