Could the Houston Texans free up a roster spot by moving a player ahead of roster cuts?
Pro Football Focus recently published its list of 15 NFL trade candidates to watch for ahead of Week 1. Bradley Locker included Texans fourth-year wide receiver John Metchie III on the list as he prepares for a do-or-die preseason with a slew of newcomers entering the building.
Locker believes that after the Texans used two early-round picks on the Iowa State duo, there’s only room for one more receiver on the active roster. Shouyld Xaiver Hutchinson put up a promising fight, perhaps Metchie has more value on the open market.
“Since being picked in the second round in 2022, Metchie has failed to reach even a 60.5 PFF receiving grade in a full year,” Locker wrote. “Across the past two seasons, the Alabama product sits in just the 26th percentile in yards per route run (1.02) and has hauled in only 49 catches for 519 yards.
“After losing Stefon Diggs and with Tank Dell suffering a serious knee injury late last season, the Texans acquired Christian Kirk via trade and drafted Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Considering that Nico Collins will also return, that likely positions Metchie behind all of those options, if not also newcomers Justin Watson and Braxton Berrios. Still only 25, Metchie would likely garner interest from around the league.”
Entering the first preseason game, Metchie is still projected to serve as the team’s No. 2 option as the Z receiver on the outside. He’s ahead of names like Berrios and Watson on the depth chart at wide receiver, but both potentially offer more upside on special teams. As for Noel, he’s the favorite to land the team’s punt returner duties and could be lock down option to compete with the veteran Kirk for first-team reps in the slot.
Metchie being a potential trade candidate isn’t a shocking prediction from PFF since it’s been mentioned for back-to-back seasons now. Entering the preseason, Hutchinson might be the odd man out, but again, should one receiver offer more upside in trade value without hurting the team, a move could be in the works. That could involve the former Alabama star playing elsewhere when Houston takes on the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 7.