Eagles Camp Storyline No. 7: Bromance Blossoming At Right Guard?

The transition from tackle to guard for the No. 11 overall pick four years ago seems to be going well and will bear watching once trainng camp begins.

Dec 10, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets offensive tackle Mekhi Becton (77) enter the field before the game against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA – PHILADELPHIA – The countdown to Eagles training camp is on, with the report date of July 23 shimmering just ahead.

As always, there will be storylines as camp winds through the rest of the month and into August. So, between now and then, 10 will be revealed, one per day, beginning with No. 10 and working up to the top storyline.

No. 7 Right stuff at right guard? … (Bromance brewing)

The Eagles went cuckoo for cornerbacks this offseason, but general manager Howie Roseman also went all in on interior offensive linemen, especially those who can play guard.

Tyler Steen was drafted in the third round last year, but if the Eagles were completely happy with him, then why go and add two rookie who can play there late in the draft – Trevor Keegan and Dylan McMahon? Why sign Matt Hennessy and Max Scharping? Heck, even another offseason signing can do it and that would be Darian Kinnard.

Aug 3, 2023; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles guard Tyler Steen during practice at Novacare Complex. Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Then there’s Mekhi Becton, and a bromance could be blossoming with the strapping 6-7, 363-pound monster this spring when none other than the two tackles themselves – Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata - seemed to fall in love with him as soon as he signed as a free agent.

“Mekhi’s a huge guy, a lot of potential,” said Johnson. “…Just a big, strong, powerful dude. I think he’s going to help us a lot this year whether he plays tackle or guard, but a guy that big that can move that well, we definitely need him out there.”

Added Mailata: “Ky’s a great dude and I think we’re pretty lucky to have him on this team. Getting to know Ky’s been like pretty easy. I feel like I’ve known him forever. It’s just really easy to get along with him.

“He’s funny, he’s smart, very athletic, but then he’s like an old friend who just came in. I spoke to him two times before he came to the Eagles. Now we speak every day which is good.”

The conversion from tackle to guard began with a simple question from line coach Jeff Stoutland, something like: “Hey Ky, wanna try guard?”

Becton didn’t hem and haw. Instead, he answered with two simple letters: “OK.”

He expounded to the media last month on the Stoutland request: “I’m always the type to be open to whatever. Then when you have a coach like coach Stoutland and the way he treats his players and the way he talks to them you’ll do whatever for him. He came up to me with the opportunity, I was open for it. I like to try new things anyway.”

Then came an opportunity when left guard Landon Dickerson was given a hall pass to skip mandatory minicamp and Becton ran with the ones, between right tackle Johnson and center Cam Jurgens.

It’s not easy to tell much about the O-line and D-line in spring work when players are in shorts and a helmet, but Becton seemed to fit in well.

Not saying there’s no love for Steen, and Becton did break some hearts when the New York Jets fell in love with him enough to take him 11th overall but chose not to pick up his fifth-year option and cut him loose. The Eagles were only happy to swoop in.

Steen is the starting right guard. Right now.

Stoutland is already on record as saying he wants to identify his starting five as quickly as possible so they can begin to build cohesion and work on communication, and that makes sense since Jurgens is sliding into the center spot and the right guard will need to be identified.

Remember the left tackle “battle” of 2021 between Mailata and Andre Dillard? That one ended early when it was quickly apparent to camp observers that Mailata was better, though Nick Sirianni didn’t announce the winner until later in camp.

Right guard might be like that if Becton can successfully make the tackle-to-guard transition and keep that bromance alive.

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