Mekhi Becton returns to Chargers practice — will he be ready for Week 1?

New York Times

2 days ago

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Tuesday brought an encouraging sight for the Los Angeles Chargers, as projected starting right guard Mekhi Becton was back in practice for the first time in over three weeks.
Becton, wearing his white No. 73 jersey, participated in offensive line individual drills, which included run-blocking fundamentals. Teammates seemed happy to have Becton back in practice. At one point during individual drills, center Bradley Bozeman did a mock pro-wrestling move on Becton, while the starters were waiting for their turns. At another point, left tackle Joe Alt and Becton — the two biggest players on the team — jumped into the air and bumped shoulders in celebration. The mood was jovial.
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'He brings a great presence to the group,' offensive coordinator Greg Roman said of Becton, 'and big, physical presence, too.'
Becton did not participate in team drills. Jamaree Salyer remained at right guard with the first-team offensive line. Becton has not participated in team drills since July 28. The Chargers play a regular season game in 17 days — in Brazil, against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Tuesday was a step in the right direction for Becton. But now the question becomes: Do the Chargers have enough time to get Becton into game shape before Week 1?
Coach Jim Harbaugh has repeatedly said that Becton is 'working through something.' The closest Harbaugh came to labeling the injury was on Aug. 4, when he said the issue is 'in the not-severe category.'
Becton was not wearing any sort of noticeable brace or tape in Tuesday's practice. He missed all but one game over the 2021 and 2022 seasons because of multiple knee injuries. But he played 16 games for the New York Jets in 2023. And he played 18 games, including the playoffs, in a resurgent season for the Philadelphia Eagles last year, after a move inside to guard.
The Chargers are scheduled for two more practices this week on Wednesday and Thursday. They will have their final preseason game Saturday at the San Francisco 49ers. Cut-down day is Aug. 26, when the Chargers will have to trim their roster to 53 players. They have a week of practice next week. Labor Day, Sept. 1, is the start of a game week, and the Chargers leave for Brazil on Sept. 2.
There is time, but not a lot of time.
'Whatever time we have, we will use it,' Roman said, 'and I think he'll be good to go.'
While he was sitting out practice, Becton was working out in the weight room with executive director of player performance Ben Herbert.
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'Doing a great job there, fully committed,' Roman said of those workouts. 'You can really see those guys building a great relationship, which I think will be very beneficial for Mekhi and his future.'
Roman added that Becton had been taking part in walkthroughs before returning to practice Tuesday. The Chargers closed Tuesday's practice with a walkthrough period — offense on one half and defense on the other half, working separately. Becton was at right guard with the starting offense for this period.
When asked if Becton would return to team drills this week, Roman said, 'I'm not sure, so I don't want to answer that.'
The interior of the offensive line was one of the Chargers' biggest weaknesses last year, including in a playoff loss to the Houston Texans. When Becton has been out of practice, the Chargers have been playing the same interior trio as the Houston game: Salyer at right guard, Bozeman at center and Zion Johnson at left guard.
The Chargers signed Becton in free agency, and he served as the only true upgrade the they made to this glaring weakness.
After losing left tackle Rashawn Slater for the season, the Chargers desperately need Becton on the field from the first snap in Brazil.
The clock is ticking.
'He's working his way through it,' Roman said. 'Onwards and upwards.'
.@BigTicket73 had to let Justin Herbert know 😂 (via @chargers) pic.twitter.com/wHZfg9lGdQ
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2025
• Receiver Ladd McConkey ran the best route of camp so far in 11-on-11 drills Tuesday. He was playing on the outside, matched up with cornerback Nehemiah Shelton. McConkey faked an outside release off the line of scrimmage. Shelton bit on the fake. McConkey then cut to the inside, as if he was running a slant route. Shelton tried to recover, but he was out of balance. McConkey had already separated, but he added a third move to the release, cutting back to the outside on a go route. Shelton fell over. McConkey was wide open down the right sideline, and quarterback Justin Herbert hit him in stride.
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The receivers, watching the play from behind the offense, erupted. There were hands on heads all over the field. Awe and astonishment.
'We were like, 'Man, he just made that boy touch Earth,' rookie receiver Tre' Harris said.
• Chargers who did not practice Tuesday: receiver Quentin Johnston, running back Kimani Vidal, cornerback Deane Leonard, running back Jaret Patterson, cornerback Harrison Hand and cornerback Eric Rogers.
• Johnston suffered a concussion in Saturday's preseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He was back on the sideline Tuesday watching practice in a No. 1 T-shirt jersey. Roman said Johnston is in the concussion protocol. Johnston had one of the most animated reactions to McConkey's route.
'Had some great conversations with him,' Roman said of Johnston.
• Linebacker Del'Shawn Phillips was back in team drills Tuesday. Phillips has passed his physical and came off the physically unable to perform list earlier this week. Most notably, Phillips was working with the first-team punt unit, replacing the spot that had been consistently held by linebacker Kana'i Mauga. On Monday, special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken said Phillips is a 'squared-away guy' with regard to the 53-man roster.
• Rookie offensive lineman Branson Taylor worked at both right and left tackle for the second straight day. Taylor, a college tackle at Pittsburgh, had played exclusively guard through the first 20 practices of camp.
'That's probably his natural position,' Roman said of Taylor. 'We want to kind of build that guard-tackle flex with him.'
• Quarterback Taylor Heinicke did not participate in team drills. Trey Lance got all the second-team work, and rookie DJ Uiagalelei worked with the third team. When asked why Heinicke did not participate in team drills, Roman said, 'I got to ask about that.'
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• The swing tackle spot is open after Slater's injury. Trey Pipkins III, who entered camp as the swing tackle, is now the starting right tackle. Roman said Salyer is 'probably' the swing tackle at this stage. Salyer has not played right tackle since college, but he has played left tackle in the NFL. The Chargers always have the option of moving Alt back to right tackle and playing Salyer at left tackle if they are forced to dig into their bench.
• Linebacker Junior Colson nearly had an interception in 11-on-11 on a third down against the second-team offense. Colson was playing in space as a zone defender and read Lance's eyes well. Lance tried to throw a slant to the left side. Colson was in position and got a hand on the pass. Colson also was in tight coverage on tight end Tucker Fisk on a short throw over the middle on another third down. Colson smothered Fisk just short of the first-down marker after Fisk made the reception.
Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman remain the starters at inside linebacker. Perryman had an interception of Lance at the goal line in red-zone seven-on-seven.
• The Chargers continued to rotate at cornerback, with Donte Jackson, Benjamin St-Juste and Tarheeb Still all working on the outside with the starting defense. Cam Hart did not participate in team drills. There was a slight change in usage, though: Jackson and Still got more reps with the first team than St-Juste. Still had an interception. Jackson had a pass breakup on a third down while in coverage on a Dalevon Campbell crossing route. St-Juste had a pass breakup on a third down while defending a Brenden Rice slant.
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