Initial tests show Jets LT Mekhi Becton suffered MCL sprain

Jets left tackle Mekhi Becton is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain during Sunday’s game, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. A forthcoming MRI will tell doctors more, but Becton’s probably looking at a short-term IR stint in a best-case scenario.

This is not the first time Becton has run into trouble on the health front since coming to the Jets. The Louisville alum missed two games with a shoulder injury last season and exited another because of a chest ailment that affected his breathing. Then, this summer, he was slowed by a foot issue.

At 6-foot-7, 364 pounds, Becton is one of the largest players in NFL history. He’s playing at a lower weight in his second pro season, but no amount of conditioning can totally safeguard a player against injury.

The 2020 first-round pick got his right leg caught between teammate Greg Van Roten and Panthers defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon in the third quarter. The Panthers, and old pal Sam Darnold, went on to win 19-14.

Becton was still one of the league’s most impressive rookies last year and still profiles as a promising long-term option for the Jets — they haven’t had a stellar tackle since D’Brickashaw Ferguson retired years ago. But, in the short term, it sounds like they’ll have to look elsewhere.