Mekhi Becton seems unlikely to play for the NY Jets in 2021

The NY Jets were hoping to see left tackle Mekhi Becton return to the field before the end of the season after the young offensive lineman suffered a serious knee injury in Week 1.

However, as the weeks have gone on, an eventual return has seemed less and less likely. And at this point, it seems more likely that he sits out the remainder of the year.

Head coach Robert Saleh spoke to reporters on Wednesday and provided the same update on Becton that he's been providing for weeks. That update being no update at all.

The Jets have no clearer understanding of Becton's return timetable than they did a month ago, and with just four games remaining in the season, it's hard to see Becton actually returning.

As Saleh put it, "it's getting down to crunch time."

Don't expect Mekhi Becton to play for the NY Jets again in 2021

Becton was originally given an initial timetable of 4-8 weeks which would have placed his return around midseason. It's now Week 15, 14 weeks after the original injury occurred, and the Jets still have no estimate for a return.

It's unclear whether or not Becton has suffered some sort of setback or if the recovery has simply taken longer than initially believed. Whatever the reason, the Jets will need to make a decision on his immediate future very soon.

In his place, veteran George Fant has assumed the starting left tackle role and put together a career year. It's worth wondering whether it might just be best for Becton to sit out the rest of the year and come back in 2022 at full health.

Becton did previously promise Jets fans just last week that he would return this season, no matter if it was the last game of the year. But is it even worth it at this point?

The Jets have a lot invested in their promising young tackle and it might just be best to let him rest up for the remainder of the year.

The 2021 season looks like a lost year of development for Mekhi Becton. Any hopes of an eventual return have slowly faded away.