Eagles' Big Ticket Takes Flight For Los Angeles On Two-Year Deal

Mekhi Becton resurrected his career in Philadelphia, playing for Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and winning a Super Bowl ring. It wasn’t enough to keep him around, and the offensive lineman whose nickname was "The Big Ticket" agreed to a two-year deal to join the Los Angeles Chargers late Friday night.

He is expected to play guard with the Chargers, a position that was new to him until he learned to play under Stoutland’s tutelage. A tackle his entire life, Becton proved he could handle the move inside and was part of a line that helped Saquon Barkley run for more than 2,000 yards this season.

Becton wanted to stay, but the reality was the Eagles are in salary-shedding mode and couldn’t offer him what he wanted, especially with Tyler Steen waiting in the wings.

“I’m definitely a different player than I was when I first walked in this building to where I am now,” he said four days after the Eagles won Super Bowl LIX.

Stout, he said, was a reason for that, saying, "I just needed a person that believed in me.”

Steen was drafted in the third round two years ago and will be the favorite to take Becton’s place. He was the favorite last year, too, until Becton made the move inside and won the job.

The Eagles also added another interior offensive lineman in a trade with the Texans as free agency began earlier in the week. Kenyon Green, who struggled in two seasons with Houston, will be in the mix as well.

Trevor Keegan, a guard they drafted last year off the national champion-winning Michigan Wolverines, went through a sort of red-shirt rookie season and could also push for time. Another interior offensive lineman could come in next month’s draft, too.

Either way, the Eagles will have a new right guard for the third time in three seasons. Before Becton, Cam Jurgens handled the position before moving to center this year. Before Jurgens, Isaac Seumalo was the right guard before he left for the Steelers in free agency.

Steen played well enough in short bursts last year to see what he can do throughout a full season. He started just two games last year and played only 316 snaps (27 percent) a season after getting just 10 snaps as a rookie.

Moving away from Becton is similar to the Eagles' trading of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. He was expendable to open the door for third-rounder Sydney Brown to start. Steen and Brown came in the same draft two years ago as back-to-back picks - Steen No. 65, Brown No. 66.