NY Jets OT Mekhi Becton not ready for the start of training camp

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Mekhi Becton / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com via Imagn

The NY Jets announced on Wednesday that they had placed five players on the PUP list to start training camp. Among the notable names was offensive tackle Mekhi Becton.

Becton has been the talk of the Jets' offseason over the last few months amidst concerns about his health and conditioning. Jets head coach Robert Saleh said last month that the team expected Becton to be ready for the start of training camp.

Evidently, plans changed.

The Jets also placed offensive tackle George Fant, defensive end Carl Lawson, tight end C.J. Uzomah, and offensive guard Dru Samia on the PUP list.

Players on the active/PUP list can be activated at any time during the summer and still count toward the active roster limit. They are unable to practice during this time, and if they aren't activated prior to the start of the regular season, they will revert to the reserve/PUP list and miss the first six weeks of the season at a minimum.

Right now, there isn't really a cause for major concern regarding Becton or any of the others placed on the PUP list.

Why NY Jets fans shouldn't panic about Mekhi Becton landing on PUP list

While Becton being placed on the PUP list isn't exactly good news, especially given that the Jets expected him to be ready just one month ago, it isn't necessarily a big deal.

NFL teams use the PUP list as a tool to stash players who may not be ready for the start of camp. Notably, a player must be placed on the active/PUP list prior to the start of training camp or they can't be placed on it at all.

The decision to place Becton and the others on this list is likely more of a precaution than anything else. Once the Jets feel they're ready to practice, they'll be activated. This just gives the team the option to rest players until they're ready to return.

Becton could show up to camp in great shape and be activated within days. Or the opposite could happen. This transaction doesn't really tell us much.

The Jets are still hoping to see a healthy and motivated Mekhi Becton return this summer. For now, that return will be delayed slightly.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.