Mekhi Becton injury history: Did Eagles make a mistake in signing risk-prone OT?

The Philadelphia Eagles have signed Mekhi Becton to a $5.5 million one-year deal ahead of the 2024 NFL season, according to his agents Alan Herman and Jared Fox. With this signing, the Eagles are continuing to rebuild their offensive line following a 2023 season that has seen retirements and departures from arguably the game's best O-line.

Becton will leave perennial underachievers New York Jets to join an Eagles team that is virtually locked to make a deep postseason run in the NFC. He'll battle for the offensive tackle position and, if healthy, should be a day-one starter in Philly.

This article will explore his lengthy injury history and examine whether the Eagles made a mistake by signing him.

Mekhi Becton's injury history

According to Fox Sports, Mekhi Becton has suffered at least three significant injuries during his four-year NFL career. The Louisville star has missed large chunks of his NFL career due to these injuries, slowing down his momentum at the professional level.

In his rookie season, Becton's first significant hitch occurred when he suffered a shoulder injury that affected him for a few weeks. It rendered him questionable from Week 4 until Week 7.

In year two, Becton suffered a knee injury in Week 1 that landed him on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

The most severe setback came in the 2022 training camp when he was diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of his right kneecap. The then-Jets tackle underwent surgery and missed the entire 2022 season.

Becton dealt with a knee injury in the first week of the 2023 season, making him questionable for two weeks. He also suffered an ankle injury in Week 12 that limited his mobility for the rest of the season.

Did the Philadelphia Eagles make a mistake signing Mekhi Becton?

The Philadelphia Eagles have opted to sign Mekhi Becton to a one-year deal for a reason, a decision driven by caution regarding his injury history. They intend to use the one year to assess whether the Louisville product can handle sustained action in the NFL.

Becton had a nightmare two-year stretch during which he missed 33 out of 34 games due to two surgeries on his right knee. The Philadelphia medical staff will be very cautious about this moving forward.

The verdict on whether the Eagles made a mistake in signing Becton will only become apparent if he remains injury-prone in 2024. However, if he stays on the field and plays to his potential, this might be one of the best moves in this year's free agency.