If the Jets keep playing musical chairs on the offensive line, Aaron Rodgers might eventually ask them to cut the music.
While stressing a low level of concern for the struggling offensive line — which allowed six “sacks” Wednesday during a joint practice against the Buccaneers as three projected Week 1 backups stepped in — Rodgers also spoke to an urgency to begin settling position battles and to start forming cohesion, too.
“I don’t get concerned heavily about things I don’t have a huge role in yet. Now that might change,” Rodgers said. “At some point I might say, ‘I need the five who are going to be there to be in there with me for a solid week,’ but I don’t think we’re at that point yet because I don’t think there are five guys who have earned those spots.”
Could Mekhi Becton be one unlikely person with a chair at the end?
He could get reps at right tackle — his quickest path to starting — in practice Thursday, head coach Robert Saleh said.
Becton hasn’t taken any scheduled reps with the starting offense despite left tackle Duane Brown’s camp-long absence (shoulder).
Billy Turner and Max Mitchell have rotated as the starters at left and right tackle.
“The biggest thing for Mekhi is to show that he can play a game without having to be spelled out,” Saleh said. “It’s unfair to the team to prepare a guy to start if you are not sure he can make it through a game. He is moving in the right direction. I thought he had a big step against Carolina in that game.”
Becton has been the backup left tackle during team periods, with reps at right tackle mixed into the walk-throughs, Saleh said. He is “light years ahead” of where he was at the start of camp.
“As soon as the [coaching] staff, training staff and everyone feels comfortable that he’s able to show that and stack days up, definitely start rotating him to compete,” Saleh said. “I think he is realizing he loves the game of football and he wants to be out there. If part of our best-five [line] is him playing right tackle, I think he’s on board.”
Saleh’s frustrations with the offensive line were aired on “Hard Knocks” this week, when he was shown saying during a team meeting that “the stink that’s been in this organization for a very long time on the offensive side of the ball” won’t change “until the big boys up front change who the f–k we are.”
Starting guards Laken Tomlinson (leg) and Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) didn’t practice Wednesday.
So, are the Jets cutting off their nose to spite their face by keeping the talented Becton (a former first-round pick who played well as a rookie before two knee-injury-plagued seasons) with the reserves? Becton lost about 50 pounds this offseason after falling out of shape.
“He can do it,” Saleh said. “It’s just a matter of being available. Everyone knows he can do it.”
Rodgers pulled Becton aside to schedule a lunch with him this week, as seen on “Hard Knocks.”
It was easy to guess a motivational talk is coming.
Saleh said the Jets want Becton to hit an unspecified “play count” more so than literally play every snap in a preseason game.
“This is a team effort for Mekhi to get connected to his knee,” Saleh said, “and have the confidence he can conquer the world with it.”
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