The Arizona Cardinals have built their offensive line into one of their driving forces offensively. Such is the sign of a team looking to build from the inside out.
Recently, Arizona returned two stalwart members of their offensive front, bringing back interior OL Evan Brown and swing tackle Kelvin Beachum on affordable deals.
Both of these players were solid, if not excellent members of an offense that racked up over 144 yards per game on the ground, and kept QB Kyler Murray upright at a consistent rate. But depth has been an issue, and if the Cardinals are looking to upgrade at the interior position, former Jets and Eagles OL Mekhi Becton could be a name worth taking a gamble on.
Becton reinvented himself in the 2024 season. After struggling through injuries and inconsistencies with a dysfunctional Jets organization through his first three seasons, he signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Eagles.
And prove it he did. After being initially drafted and utilized as a tackle, he transitioned to an interior role this past season, playing all 903 of his snaps at right guard.
He graded out well, with a 75.2 overall PFF grade. His 63.6 pass blocking grade was solid, but eclipsed by a run 74.7 run blocking grade. If you know anything about the Arizona Cardinals and their offensive philosophy, even an initial glance might suggest Becton is a fit.
He's still just 25 years old, and managed to play in 31 games the past two seasons, a much more consistently healthy span than his first trio of seasons. He allowed only three sacks and committed just four penalties.
The Cardinals are in a decent spot with regard to their starting left guard in Evan Brown, but with the unfortunate injury to stud RG Will Hernandez, Arizona could be looking to find someone with starting experience and success to help bring young OL Isaiah Adams along.
Becton isn't exactly on the far end of veteran, but he was very solid with an Eagles offense that emphasized the run game and played fundamentally solid football - something Jonathan Gannon and Drew Petzing are exceptionally fond of.
Depending on the cost, Becton could be both a short-term solution or a developmental piece. He's shown that he can perform well in a system like Philadelphia's, and that could translate over to what Petzing likes to do in Arizona.
You can never have enough depth, but Becton is a player who has shown the ability to start at an interior position, while also providing outside flexibility should Beachum or Paris Johnson Jr. miss time.
The Cardinals love versatility and fundamentals, and Becton could provide that.
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