The defending Super Bowl Champions had one clear hole as the Philadelphia Eagles needed to add a third wide receiver. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith were a dominant duo for the Eagles combining for just under 2,000 yards but, the next closest wide receiver had just 216 yards in former Penn State star Jahan Dotson.
As Jahan Dotson and some late round selections hadn't blossomed into a starting caliber WR3, the Philadelphia Eagles needed to make a swing for another starter. On Sunday, Howie Roseman landed his third wide receiver trading for Houston Texans Wide Receiver John Metchie III.
Trade: the Houston Texans are sending WR John Metchie to the Philadelphia Eagles, per sources. pic.twitter.com/eqWw3lpL7B
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 17, 2025
In landing John Metchie III, the Philadelphia Eagles are reuniting one of their star wide receivers DeVonta Smith with his running mate from Alabama. During the 2020 College Football season where DeVonta Smith won the Heisman Trophy with 1,856 yards, John Metchie finished second on the team with 916 yards and 6 touchdowns.
An injury in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia slowed John Metchie's rise to stardom as he recovered from a torn ACL, while a diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia kept him out of his entire rookie season.
Up until this point in his NFL Career, John Metchie hasn't lived up to the expectations of being a second-round pick, but this move could help get his career on track. Metchie only has 40 receptions for 415 yards thus far, but moving to a team where he should receive a ton of targets should help him finally put together a breakout season.
Howie Roseman is one of the best general managers in the NFL and when he identifies a player, the team trading away the player should likely hang up the phone. Reuniting John Metchie with Smith should help ease him into the new team and if Metchie can breakout, it'll help him earn a second contract in the NFL.
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