Former first-round pick has switched from tackle to guard, now with fourth NFL team

Mike Spofford

GREEN BAY The Packers signed veteran offensive linemanMekhi Becton Sr.to the active roster Monday, just two days shy of a full month since he originally joined Green Bay's practice squad.

Here are five things to know about another O-line addition:

1. He's a former first-round draft pick.

The Jets drafted Becton, now 27, with the No. 11 overall pick out of Louisville in 2020 after three college seasons that began with him at right tackle and ended with him a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection at left tackle.

He entered the draft a year early at a massive 6-7 and 364 pounds, clocking an impressive 5.1-second time in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine.

2. After four years with the Jets, he switched to guard with the Eagles.

Becton started 30 games total at both tackle spots during his time in New York, with 13 starts as a rookie in 2020 and then 16 in 2023. He missed all but one game in 2021 and then all of 2022 due to separate major knee surgeries.

In 2024, he signed with the Eagles, who switched him to guard. He won a job at right guard, starting 19 games as Philadelphia won a Super Bowl title. He played against the Packers twice that season, in the opener at Brazil and in the NFC Wild Card playoff matchup.

3. He was most recently with the Chargers.

Following the championship in Philly, Becton signed a two-year deal with the L.A. Chargers, for whom he played in 15 games with 14 starts at right guard last season, taking 72% of the team's offensive snaps due to a part-time rotation.

The Chargers released him this past March in a cost-cutting move and he had not signed with another team until coming to Green Bay a month ago.

4. He's apparently healthy again.

After his release from L.A., Becton had surgery on a torn labrum in the spring, according to media reports, having played through the shoulder injury all last season without knowing the extent of it. He's also reportedly trimmed down from roughly 360 pounds to 345.

5. He's the Packers' third veteran addition to the offensive line since the start of the regular season.

The same day the Packers brought Becton onto their practice squad (Sept. 28), they signed veteran guardLaken Tomlinson. Then two days later, they signed another veteran guard,Kevin Zeitler. Tomlinson has started the last four games, while Zeitler has yet to play for Green Bay.