There has been a big absence on the practice field for the Jets in OTAs — literally.

Left tackle Mekhi Becton has not been practicing because he is dealing with a foot injury, coach Robert Saleh revealed Friday. The NFL Network reported the injury is plantar fasciitis.

This is the latest in a string of injuries for the 6-foot-7 Becton. He missed two full games and a large amount of two others with injuries as a rookie in 2020. Becton’s weight could be a contributing factor to the injuries. He is listed at 364 pounds, but sources said he played at a higher weight last year, and the team had to discipline him over his weight.

Saleh said the foot began bothering Becton after his first OTA practice, so the Jets told him to stay off his feet. Becton was on the practice field Friday but just as a spectator.

“When you talk about Becton, he’s dealing with a foot [injury],” Saleh said. “It’s nothing that needs surgery. It’s really not that big of a deal. As you guys all know, he’s a very large human being, so we’ve asked him to stay off his feet, so we keep him inside during practice. But he’s been in meetings. He’s been doing workouts.”

Saleh said all young players, not just Becton, need to learn how to take care of their bodies.

“That’s part of the learning progression of young men,” Saleh said. “They have to learn how to take care of their bodies. They have to learn how to eat right, work out right, rest right, [regenerate] right, staying hydrated and all of those different things that lead to longevity in this league. Mekhi is one of those. He’s a young man. He’s a very talented young man. He’s a very large young man. He’s learning every day what it takes to be a professional and how to take that next step. We’ve got a lot of faith in him. He’s doing all the right things right now. We’re excited to get him to training camp and get to work with him.”

The Jets drafted Becton with the No. 11-overall pick in 2020. He immediately began making highlight-reel blocks as he tossed defensive linemen aside. But he struggled to stay on the field. A shoulder injury sidelined him early in the season for two games. He exited another game when he was having trouble breathing. Durability could be an issue for a player the Jets hope can be a cornerstone for them.

Becton’s size is a conundrum for the Jets. They don’t want him to lose any strength, but they also need to get him at a weight where he can stay healthy and maintain his quickness.

“We want these guys to be as big and as strong as possible without losing their speed,” Saleh said last month. “You could look at it from, ‘hey, go as light as you can,’ but we want them to push the envelope of being heavy. At the same time, there is that threshold. We don’t want him to get so light where he loses all the power that he has, but at the same time we don’t want him to be too heavy — a happy medium. He’s such a tremendous athlete, and he’s got such mobility for his size. We’ll work with him. We’ll find his weight. We’ll see what he can and can’t do and as a professional football player and a man. He’ll figure out what he can and can’t do based on his weight.”