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If?’ – Bengals Passed on Veteran O-Lineman That is Thriving on Contender
CINCINNATI — The Bengals brought in Mekhi Becton for a free agent visit last March. Becton left without a deal and he ended up signing with the Eagles in April.
The former first round pick has been great for Philadelphia, making 15 starts and playing 903 regular season snaps at right guard.
Becton cleared the way for Saquon Barkley’s 62-yard touchdown run on Sunday in the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Rams.
What if the Bengals had signed Becton?
Related: Film Analyst Thought Becton Would Be Good Fit For Bengals
It’s an interesting question since he’s had so much success at guard. Would the Bengals have benched Alex Cappa or Cordell Volson in favor of Becton?
Would he have made a difference in one of Cincinnati’s seven one-possession losses?
Becton left Cincinnati without a deal and the Bengals. Apparently he didn’t have the best visit, but clearly he can play at a high level. He posted a 75.2 overall grade according to Pro Football Focus this season.
The Bengals brought him in for a visit with the idea that he would play tackle. How open was he to playing guard at that stage of the offseason?
His tone likely changed after leaving Cincinnati. Becton remained on the market for more than a month before signing with the Eagles.
The Bengals signed Trent Brown a few days after Becton left town. The veteran made three starts for Cincinnati at right tackle before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Putting Becton at right guard with Amarius Mims at right tackle would be intriguing. The Bengals will get a chance to do it this offseason. Becton is scheduled to become a free agent in March.
Mekhi Becton paves the way for Saquon Barkley here. Two guys who relocated from North NJ to Philly this year. pic.twitter.com/ZW1AbI96Yh
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 19, 2025
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If the Cincinnati Bengals had taken a chance on veteran offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth, would they be thriving on their quest for a championship? Whitworth, who was let go by the Bengals in 2017, has found success with the Los Angeles Rams and has been a key contributor to their playoff runs.
With the Bengals struggling to protect their young quarterback and establish a consistent running game, it begs the question: what if they had kept Whitworth on their roster? Would their offensive line be more stable and effective? Would they have been able to make a deeper run in the playoffs?
It’s easy to play the “what if” game in hindsight, but the decision to let Whitworth go is one that could be haunting the Bengals as they continue to search for success in a competitive league. Only time will tell if this missed opportunity will come back to haunt them in the long run.
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- NFL offseason updates
- Veteran offensive lineman
- Contender team analysis
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- Team building strategies in the NFL
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