Chargers Steal Cardinals Free Agent Target

The Arizona Cardinals miss out on one of the top OL prospects on the market.

Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Mekhi Becton (77) against the Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals have plugged a few key holes in their free agency pursuit this offseason, though one of their top potential targets is now gone.

Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Mekhi Becton is signing with the Los Angeles Chargers on a two-year, $20 million deal.

OL Mekhi Becton has agreed to a two-year deal with the Chargers, sources tell ESPN.

Becton plans on playing guard, as he did this past season in Philadelphia.

— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) March 15, 2025

It's a big get for the Chargers, who upgrade their interior offensive line spot immediately.

Becton, who has experience at both guard and tackle, found a resurgence in Philadelphia after being considered a first-round bust with the New York Jets. He was a key ingredient for the Eagles' Super Bowl run this past season and was considered to be one of the top offensive linemen available.

After landing names such as Josh Sweat and Dalvin Tomlinson to start free agency, there was hope the Cardinals would turn their attention to the offensive line, where the right guard position is still up in the air moving into 2025.

Previous starter Will Hernandez played just a handful of games before tearing his ACL and hitting injured reserve. He's currently a free agent and has yet to sign anywhere.

The Cardinals, in his place, utilized Trystan Colon and rookie guard Isaiah Adams - who could very well earn starting dibs moving into training camp.

Another notable spot to watch for Arizona is at right tackle, where current starter Jonah Williams is still recovering from a knee injury that ended his season. The Cardinals re-signed backup right tackle Kelvin Beachum, though the organization still doesn't have a clear plan for the future at the position.

It's been a productive free agent period for the Cardinals, who currently rank seventh in total free agency spending on OverTheCap with $164.4 million in contracts awarded. They entered this past week with over $70 million in effective cap space.