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During the offseason Jets head coach Robert Saleh indicated the team would have a training camp competition for the left tackle job between Mekhi Becton and George Fant. Saleh walked that back today and indicated the team has settled on Fant at left tackle and Becton at right tackle.
Coach Saleh says Mekhi Becton is the team’s RT and George Fant is the LT.
— Ethan Greenberg (@EGreenbergJets) July 27, 2022
Saleh said the LT/RT decision was “best for the team” this season bc of Fant’s strong year at LT last year. They didn’t want Fant and Becton switching back and forth during camp. Fant is also much more comfy at LT. Says Becton’s days at LT aren’t over, but for this year it’s RT.
— Andy Vasquez (@andy_vasquez) July 27, 2022
There was always the conflict between finding the correct person for the job and making sure the offensive line had chemistry by the end of camp. In the end it seems like Saleh believed flipping Becton and Fant back and forth would lead to more problems than it was worth. I’m not sure I disagree.
The alignment is the reverse of what the Jets have had the previous two opening days where Becton played left tackle, and Fant was on the right side.
Despite Saleh’s comments about Becton’s days at left tackle not being over, it seems possible they are.
With Fant set to be a free agent, this move most indicates to me that the most likely scenario is either:
A. An extension for Fant is coming.
B. The Jets view Becton’s best fit as right tackle.
C. Both A. and B. are correct.
While anything is always possible, I wouldn’t think the Jets want the left tackle spot to be a question mark heading into the offseason or constantly break Becton’s continuity as he develops.
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