Tag: Mekhi Becton weight

Jets OT Mekhi Becton making progress with new nutritionist

Jets offensive tackle Mekhi Becton is getting back into shape with the help of a new nutritionist.

Mekhi Becton arrived in New York almost three years ago with sky-high expectations. The mammoth offensive tackle oozed potential and was viewed as the Jets’ left tackle of the future — and it looked like he was on his way to that point during his rookie season.

Becton’s path to stardom has been derailed by injuries, though. The No. 11 pick in the 2020 NFL draft played just one game last season after suffering a season-ending dislocated kneecap in Gang Green’s opener. Injuries were also an issue for Becton during his standout rookie year, and his lack of consistent availability prompted Robert Saleh to announce that he would have to win back his starting left tackle job in January.

Joe Douglas said last month that the Jets are operating as if Becton is one of their two starting tackles, but his place in the pecking order is no longer as solidified as it was when he was a high-profile rookie. Becton is going to have to stay healthy if he wants to stay in the starting lineup.

Controlling his weight will go a long way in ensuring that happens.

Becton, who weighed 363 pounds at the 2020 combine, got up to at least 400 pounds while rehabbing his knee injury, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. However, Becton is working his way back into shape with the help of a new nutritionist, and the Jets might be able to reap the benefits next season.

Ann Claiborne, Becton’s nutritionist, told Cimini that Becton’s weight is back down to the 300s. The two started working together during training camp in August and Claiborne helped Becton get down to 360 pounds before undergoing surgery on his knee.

Becton has hired a personal chef under Claiborne’s guidance. His diet is now anti-inflammatory, alkaline and free of processed foods. Becton eats lots of fruits and vegetables — three times the amount he was consuming beforehand, according to Claiborne.

Becton has drawn criticism for his weight before. The Jets are hoping his efforts result in a significant and sustained difference this time around. Zach Wilson could use his larger-than-life blindside protector on the field, after all.

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Robert Saleh not worried about Mekhi Becton’s weight entering training camp

Jets head coach Robert Saleh would like to see Mekhi Becton find a playing weight that allows him to maintain his strength and physicality.

Mekhi Becton’s weight issues have garnered a ton of attention throughout the offseason, but Robert Saleh is not too worried about where New York’s prized offensive tackle is at on the scale entering training camp.

Currently listed at 6-foot-7 and 363 pounds, Becton admitted before the beginning of his rookie season that he weighed around 370 pounds. He also ended 2020 around 380 pounds, prompting discipline from the team, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello.

Since then, Becton has made a concerted effort to keep his weight in check. He retained the services of a personal chef and limited his diet to mostly fish and vegetables. He also flashed a leaner frame in a workout video posted earlier this month, an indication that his diet and work in the gym have him trending in the right direction.

While Becton has taken it upon himself to get in the best shape possible ahead of the 2021 season, Saleh is not stressing over the exact number Becton posts on the scale when he reports to One Jets Drive on Tuesday. In a recent interview with Steve Serby of the New York Post, Saleh reiterated that his main focus is Becton being at a weight that allows him to play comfortably and physically with the strength he showcased throughout his rookie season.

“Mekhi is a very big man, and if he can line up and play fast and play physical and play strong, I really don’t care what his weight is,” Saleh said.

Saleh has been a proponent of Becton finding the playing weight that works best for him. It goes without saying that New York’s rookie head coach would likely prefer Becton does not balloon up to 380 pounds as he did late last season, but Saleh is not laser-focused on the specifics of Becton’s weight right now.

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