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Inglewood, CA, Monday, December 8, 2025 – Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) reaches out to guard Mekhi Becton (73) during pregame warmups before taking on the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Chargers will have a lot of decisions to make this offseason, especially as the team is heading into the 2026 season with new coordinators.
One of those decisions involves starting right guard Mekhi Becton, who has been a major disappointment since signing a two-year, $20 million deal this past offseason.
Becton, 26, was one of the worst-rated guards according to Pro Football Focus with a 35.3 overall grade (79 out of 81 qualified guards) and was not happy in his role with the team this past season.
“It’s a lot of different things I’m not used to,” Becton said regarding feeling uncomfortable in ex-offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s system.
Well, looks like Becton won’t have to worry about that for much longer, as NFL insider Tony Pauline believes the Chargers will cut the 6’7″, 368-pound guard in the coming weeks.
Chargers Expected to Cut Mekhi Becton
GettyLos Angeles Chargers guard Mekhi Becton (73) takes the field before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium.
According to Pauline, there is a culmination of factors that will likely see Becton being released from the Chargers.
“After seemingly turning his career around, word at the Shrine Bowl is that Mekhi Becton has reverted to his former ways, and the Los Angeles Chargers will opt out of the final year of his contract,” Pauline wrote. “Becton, the 11th selection of the 2020 draft by the New York Jets, watched his career go downhill. As I reported several times since 2022, the offensive lineman’s weight had ballooned to over 415 pounds, leaving him out of shape.”
Becton ranked 46th as a guard in pass block win rate (91.2%) and 61st out of 62 eligible guards in run block win rate (63.4%). To say he hasn’t performed up to expectations is putting it nicely. If the Chargers decide to cut Becton, this move will save the team approximately $9.7 million to $10 million in salary cap space for the 2026 season.
Pauline also added that “people at the Shrine Bowl tell me that’s exactly what will happen,” regarding the Chargers’ eventual decision to release Becton.
Life on the Offensive Line Without Becton
It’s no secret that the Chargers had one of the worst interior offensive combinations in the NFL with Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, and Becton. That has to change this offseason.
The Chargers have a projected $80.5 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, which ranks third in the NFL. If they cut Becton, it’ll jump to around $90 million.
If they want to help keep Justin Herbert upright next season, Los Angeles will have to spend big on interior linemen during free agency. Here are some of the top options available:
Tyler Linderbaum, 26, Center
Ed Ingram, 27, Guard
Alijah Vera-Tucker, 27, Guard
Ethan Pocic, 31, Center
Isaac Seumalo, 33, Guard
Wyatt Teller, 32, Guard
If not during free agency, it has to be in the draft. General manager Joe Hortiz said, “the most sustainable way to reach success in the NFL is through the draft,” yet he waited until the sixth round in the 2025 draft to select an offensive lineman.
That has to change.
Herbert has been pressured more than any other quarterback (268 times) and was the second-most sacked (54) during the regular season. In fact, the Chargers’ o-line ranked last in PBWR (54.4%) and second-to-last in RBWR (69%).
“We know when play isn’t up to standard,” Johnson said. “We have that voice in our room, in our heads, that we don’t want to let guys down.”
Well, Becton let the team down, and now he’s likely getting cut. The hope is that this offseason, the organization makes sure the offensive line doesn’t disappoint like it did this past season.
Isaac Zuniga is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders. More about Isaac Zuniga
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