The New York Jets acquired wide receiver John Metchie III from the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday in exchange for cornerback Michael Carter II. The teams also swapped with late-round draft picks with the Jets turning a 2026 seventh into a sixth.
Metchie will attempt to carve out a role for himself on offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand’s offense.
Metchie entered the NFL with high expectations. He was drafted by the Houston Texans out of Alabama in the second round of the 2022 draft.
Metchie unfortunately missed his rookie season after being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia.
The former Crimson Tide standout has struggled to find his footing since then. He’s amassed just 40 receptions for 415 yards and one touchdown across two completed seasons (2023-24).
This past offseason, heading into the final year of his rookie contract, the Texans traded him to the Eagles. He accumulated four receptions for 18 yards in Philadelphia via limited playing time.
The Jets (1-7) were interested in shedding Carter’s three-year, $30.75 million contract following the emergence of Jarvis Brownlee in his nickel corner role. They found a taker in the Eagles, getting a low-cost expiring contract back. Metchie is scheduled for restricted free agency, meaning the Jets will possess first dibs on retaining him.
Metchie is joining a passing offense that’s been without Garrett Wilson due to injury.
New York head coach Aaron Glenn should give Metchie a legitimate opportunity to prove he’s capable of carving out a long-term role for himself. Once he’s up to speed with the playbook, veterans like Allen Lazard and Tyler Johnson shouldn’t be playing ahead of him.