FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A year ago, New York Jets tackle Mekhi Becton was so high on his new right-hand man, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, that he retweeted a photo of them on the practice field, predicting, “JORDAN AND PIPPEN!!! Mark my words!!!”
Becton’s right-hand man is now his left-hand man. The Jets flipped their offensive line, moving Becton and Vera-Tucker — drafted 11th (2020) and 14th (2021), respectively — to the right side.
This isn’t how general manager Joe Douglas drew it up when he vowed in 2020 to build a dominant offensive line, but the Jets remain bullish on the unit after the big changes.
“Personally, I’m excited about the right side,” coach Robert Saleh said. “You have a couple of potential All-Pros, in my opinion. They are two fantastic young players. Then you’ve got two veterans on the other side (George Fant and Laken Tomlinson). It’s a cool combination and a cool group.”
Saleh likes Fant so much at left tackle, where he took over in Week 2 following Becton’s season-ending knee injury, that he was willing to uproot the 6-foot-7, 363-pound (or thereabouts) Becton. The Jets drafted him to be their long-term left tackle (after signing Fant, by the way), just like they drafted Vera-Tucker to be a fixture at left guard (they moved him to accommodate Tomlinson).
On paper, the offensive line has a lot of potential, but so much hinges on Vera-Tucker and Becton settling into their new spots. Before the first practice on Wednesday, when the Becton move was announced, he leaned over to Vera-Tucker and said, “Same stuff, different side.”
Well, it’s a little more complicated than that. Former Jets left tackle Kelvin Beachum, entering his third season as the Arizona Cardinals‘ starting right tackle, knows the position change as well as anyone.
“I think the biggest transition is your stance, eyes and hand placement,” he told ESPN. “I’m going into Year 3 of the switch, but when you have played a position for eight, nine years, there are some motor patterns that have to be reworked. If you’re a pro, you will figure it out.”
Becton and Vera-Tucker, both 23, aren’t old enough to be stuck in their ways, which factored into the team’s decision to move them and leave Fant and Tomlinson in their spots.
Becton said he embraces the change, also acknowledging he must “change my…
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