PHILADELPHIA -- During the first week of Eagles training camp, defensive tackle Jalen Carter was getting the better of Mekhi Becton in the majority of their faceoffs. As Becton has become more comfortable with his new position, those showdowns are becoming more even.
"It's been fun," Becton said Monday. "We had a little back and forth today. We went against each other and you know I'm starting to catch up to him.
"I'm starting to get his number. We're starting to get each others' numbers. We working. Iron sharpens iron."
Becton's improvement at right guard has been noticeable over the past three weeks, enough that the Eagles have made him the clear frontrunner to start at right guard come Week 1. Becton played eight snaps in Friday's preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens as the only first-team starter on offense to take the field. He was off the field after a series, paving the way for Tyler Steen as the second-team offense played the entire first half.
Despite Steen's performance, Becton took all the first-team reps in Sunday's practice -- the first one after the preseason opener. The job is Becton's to lose.
"There's always room for improvement on anything," Becton said of his performance in the preseason opener. "This was the first time I ever played right guard in a live game. Of course, I'm gonna look at the film with Stout [Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland] and figure out what we need to do. We'll come together and combine it."
Becton is far from a finished product at right guard, even if the improvements have been noticeable. The former first-round pick -- and converted tackle -- has been getting tips from linemates Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson on the ins-and-outs of guard.
Jurgens played right guard after spending his time in college as a center. He can relate to the transition Becton is going through.
"A lot of it's talking about angles and where I want him to be and just how different every D-lineman plays," Jurgens said. "You're going to have two gappers, penetrators, different guys play different techniques, so figuring out how the footwork changes from each defensive guy and where that linebacker is and if we have certain motions where it may change our footwork.
"There's a lot of little things that go into it that people don't realize how much goes into it. That takes time to build and learn, and that's what helps, playing guard last year being able to talk about those angles."
Dickerson has been all over the offensive line since his college days before finally settling in at left guard. Playing one position has certainly helped the transition.
"A little built of an adjustment for him [Becton], but the way he's built, the way he can move with his long arms, his reach, his lateral quickness, I think right now he's really excelling at that position," Dickerson said. "And it is an adjustment, but he's handling it extremely well.
"For him to make that transition and come inside, and the way he's been able to succeed in doing well in practice, and come out here every day and keep getting better, is impressive."
The transition isn't the easiest one, but Becton is trying to simplify learning right guard to the best of his ability. The starting job is his -- and the position appears to be filled for this year.
"It's still O-line at the end of the day," Becton said. "I still gotta get my hands. I still gotta do my footwork. It's just all about attacking my footwork and I did attack it."
