While the start of NFL free agency is not yet here, teams have already begun making roster moves.

As for the New York Jets, they have re-signed tight end Jelani Woods and tendered defensive tackle Jowon Briggs alongside linebacker/special teamer Marcelino McCrary-Ball.

Beyond that, FOX Sports’ Jordan Schlutz reported that the Jets will not tender wide receiver John Metchie III, who was a restricted free agent, making the Alabama product an unrestricted free agent.

It’s the right call by Jets general manager Darren Mougey.

The Jets made the right decision with Metchie III

Metchie has not had an easy path to success at the professional level.

After the Houston Texans selected him in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, he missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a battle with leukemia.

He made a full return and played in 16 games during his sophomore campaign, hauling in 16 of his 30 targets (53.3%) for 158 yards. Metchie improved those numbers in 2024, going for 254 yards and a touchdown in 13 games while making three starts.

Ahead of the 2025 regular season, though, Houston dealt him to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was stuck behind top receivers such as A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and struggled to see the field, only being targeted four times throughout seven games.

Prior to the NFL trade deadline, Philly shipped him (and a 2027 sixth-round pick) to New York in exchange for Michael Carter II, where Metchie got an opportunity to showcase his ability, starting seven of the team’s final 10 games.

Over that span, he posted 256 yards and two touchdowns across 29 receptions, which was statistically his best stint since entering the league.

However, Metchie displayed unreliable hands. He had four drops for a poor 12.1% drop rate, while catching just 3-of-8 contested targets (37.5%).

Metchie also failed to display elusiveness, forcing only one missed tackle on 29 receptions.

Tendering Metchie as an RFA would have required a minimum cap hit of $3.5 million (right of first refusal tender). Considering the unimpressive numbers he posted in his short stint as a Jet, the team was wise not to commit that salary to him.

Understanding where the Jets stand at WR

The Jets’ receiving corps was abysmal in 2025. Granted, there was a revolving door at quarterback, but the receivers struggled in their own right.

New York finished last in the NFL with just 2,784 receiving yards. The gap between the Jets and the 31st-ranked Browns (3,152) was larger than the difference between the league’s 12th-ranked Bears (3,991) and the 22nd-ranked Steelers (3,632), underscoring just how far behind New York was.

Making the unit look even worse is the fact that Garrett Wilson, who played in just seven games, still finished as the Jets’ leading receiver with 395 yards.

When looking at the Jets’ expected plans for the position in 2026, it is easy to see why they didn’t have room for Metchie.

Wilson is the Jets’ clear-cut WR1. Behind him, Adonai Mitchell, another mid-season trade pickup, remains under contract for 2026 after flashing more promise than Metchie in their limited opportunities.

After Mitchell, fourth-round pick Arian Smith is still waiting for a real opportunity after barely seeing the field as a rookie, while special teams contributor Isaiah Williams is also expected to return.

That already gives the Jets four receivers under contract with a strong chance of making the team. New York is also widely expected to add another pass catcher in free agency, potentially someone like Romeo Doubs, Jauan Jennings, or Rashid Shaheed, while also looking to add a pass catcher early on in April’s NFL draft.

Is Metchie worthy of the minimum $3.5 million RFA tender to fit in that room? Probably not.

For that kind of money, the team could add a rotational contributor, which they need many of. To this point in his career, Metchie has barely been a rosterable player.

Letting Metchie walk is the right decision for New York.