Eagles Land John Metchie Along with Pick Swap

The Philadelphia Eagles are strengthening their receiving options, giving Jalen Hurts another target as the season approaches. On Sunday, the Eagles finalized a trade to acquire wide receiver John Metchie III from the Houston Texans. The Texans will receive tight end Harrison Bryant as compensation, and both teams will exchange future late-round draft picks to further incentivize the agreement. The Eagles formally announced the trade on Monday.

Metchie, drafted by the Texans in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft (44th overall), unfortunately missed his entire first season after bravely battling acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Since recovering, he has caught 40 passes for 412 yards and one touchdown in 29 games. In the 2024 season, Metchie recorded 24 receptions for 254 yards and a touchdown in 13 games.

The decision to trade Metchie isn’t entirely surprising, given the established talent ahead of him on the Texans’ depth chart. He faced competition from accomplished receivers such as Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, and Jayden Higgins, making it difficult to carve out a consistent role. In exchange, the Texans acquire Bryant, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Eagles earlier this offseason. Bryant, a fourth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2020 out of Florida Atlantic, tallied 86 receiving yards on nine catches in 13 games last season with the Las Vegas Raiders, though he was limited by an ankle injury for much of the year.

For the Eagles, Metchie represents a low-risk, high-upside acquisition. He has the potential to develop into a valuable contributor within their offense. The Eagles’ current receiving group is headlined by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who form one of the league’s most dangerous duos. If Metchie can regain the form that made him a highly regarded prospect coming out of Alabama, he could become a significant asset for Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense. This trade allows the Eagles to take a chance on a talented player with upside while parting with someone who was unlikely to make a major impact on their upcoming season.