Initially seeing work at guard as a potential swing option, Mekhi Becton has pushed this experiment to an unexpected place. The former would-be Jets long-term left tackle is poised to open the season as an Eagles guard starter.

Becton has all but locked down Philly’s right guard gig, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. The player with whom Becton was primarily competing, Tyler Steen, sustained an ankle injury during the Eagles’ second preseason game. Becton had already been tracking to win that job.

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This will represent a fascinating rebound opportunity for Becton, who did not command a big market after injuries threw his career off track in New York. Becton scored a one-year, $2.75MM deal from the Eagles in May. He is well behind 2020 first-round classmates Andrew Thomas and Tristan Wirfs, and Jedrick Wills — whenever he should return from a lingering knee injury — remains the Browns’ left tackle. Becton’s bounce-back bid will instead come at guard on what has been one of the NFL’s premier offensive lines over the past several years.

The Eagles need a new right guard due to Jason Kelce‘s retirement, with 2023 RG Cam Jurgens kicking inside to center. The Eagles have replaced previous exiting interior linemen with in-house solutions. Landon Dickerson replaced Brandon Brooks in 2021, while Jurgens stepped in for Isaac Seumalo in 2023. Steen appeared ticketed to be the latest in-house blocker elevated into the lineup, but Becton changed those plans.

Becton, 25, has never played a guard snap in an NFL game. Louisville deployed him at tackle as well. But the Eagles slid the former No. 11 overall pick inside during their offseason program. Early in camp, Becton gave way to Steen. But the 2023 third-rounder’s initial ankle injury sustained in camp accelerated Becton’s climb. He appears unlikely to give the job back before Week 1.

Veterans Brett Toth and Nick Gates are in the mix for backup jobs; the team also has fifth-round rookie Trevor Keegan on track for a second-string role. Becton left Sunday’s practice with a leg injury, prompting Toth to step in. But the 6-foot-7 blocker returned Tuesday. Injuries kept Becton off the field for 33 games from 2021-22, with weight issues hindering him in New York as well. Ballooning to around 400 pounds early his career, Becton slimmed down to nearly 340 pounds last year. After winning the Jets’ RT job, Becton split time between New York’s tackle posts and missed only one game.

Becton’s injury past presents warning signs to the Eagles, but the team has stockpiled some options in the event the fifth-year blocker encounters another setback. As it stands, the right side of Philly’s O-line will be comprised of first-rounders, with Lane Johnson entering Year 12.

It took until late April for Mekhi Becton to land with a team. Before his first preseason game with the Eagles, the former Jets long-term left tackle hopeful is making a case for a starting role at a new position.

The Eagles continue a close examination of Becton at guard. The former first-round tackle saw reps at guard during the team’s offseason program, and although 2023 third-rounder Tyler Steen entered camp as the favorite to take over — as 2023 RG starter Cam Jurgens slides to center post-Jason Kelce — Becton may interfere with the organization’s previous plan.

Steen missed some time due to injury recently but has since made his return to practice. For a third straight day with Steen back at work, PHLY’s Zach Berman notes Becton is running with the team’s first-team offense. This trend began when Steen went down with an ankle injury on Day 3 of training camp, per NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro, who notes Steen’s stock has begun to drop since.

Steen took all the team’s first-string RG reps before his injury, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. While the Eagles may be easing Steen back into action, a position battle — at the very least — appears to have formed here.

Becton becoming Philly’s answer at right guard would mark a significant change for the ex-Jets starter’s positional trajectory and halt a period of internal Eagles solutions up front. The Eagles drafted both Jurgens and Landon Dickerson as potential center heir apparents, using the former at left guard once he proved an immediate solution there during Kelce’s career. With Kelce hanging up his cleats after 14 seasons, Jurgens is sliding to center to create an RG open Steen was ticketed to fill. While Nick Sirinni indicated Becton’s continued run with the first team does not reveal a shift in this competition, it does appear the 2020 first-rounder is in the lead.

Becton, who signed a one-year deal worth $2.75MM, has never played a down at guard in the NFL. The Jets kicked him to right tackle at multiple points, doing so in a game for the first time last season. Of course, Becton position changes were largely moot in 2021 or ’22 since he missed all but one regular-season game during that span. He returned to extensive action last season, however, playing mostly left tackle but logging 101 snaps on the right side. The underwhelming Jets tackle, however, appears to have a gateway to starting for what has been one of the NFL’s premier offensive lines over the past few seasons.

While Becton has never played an NFL down at guard, Steen logged only 71 snaps as a rookie. The preseason slate will play a central role in determining which of these blockers steps in, but Becton making this strong of an impression at a new position early is certainly notable.