Los Angeles Chargers to Cut Highly-Paid Starter

January 28, 2026 , ,
Los Angeles Chargers right guard Mekhi Becton reacts after 2025 game.

The Los Angeles Chargers are already staring at major offseason decisions, and one of the biggest could be moving on from a pricey starter. 

Multiple reports say Los Angeles is expected to cut right guard Mekhi Becton in the coming weeks, opting out of the final year of the two year, $20 million deal he signed last offseason.

Why the Chargers are ready to pull the plug on Becton

Tony Pauline reported the belief around the Shrine Bowl is that Becton has “reverted to his former ways,” and the Chargers plan to move on, which lines up with how ugly the on field results were. 

Pro Football Focus graded Becton at 35.3 overall, ranking him 79th out of 81 qualified guards, and his run blocking grade of 34.3 sat dead last among guards.  

Even Becton acknowledged he was uncomfortable in the previous system, saying there were “a lot of different things” he was not used to in Greg Roman’s offense. 

Cap space and Herbert pressure make this feel inevitable

For the Chargers, the cap math makes the decision easier. 

Cutting Becton is widely projected to free roughly $9.7 million in 2026 cap space, and Over The Cap lists Los Angeles with about $80.56 million in team cap space already. 

The bigger point is what it shows about the priority list of the new regime. The Chargers’ line issues were loud all season, with Justin Herbert pressured 268 times and sacked 54 times, while the offensive line ranked last in pass block win rate at 54.4% and near the bottom in run block win rate at 69%. 

With new coaching voices coming in and the organization desperate to stabilize the interior, cutting bait on a disappointing, highly paid starter is starting to look like the first domino. 

Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Go To: NBA Rumors | MLB Rumors | NHL Rumors