John Metchie Made A Statement
The Houston Texans entered the offseason with uncertainty surrounding their receiving depth behind star Nico Collins. In the first preseason game, former second-round pick John Metchie III made a statement in his push for more snaps.
“All our receivers did a really nice job, John Metchie showed up,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. “A ton of different guys showing up, so they’re still, you know, we got a really full room of guys there who can play in the NFL, so it’s tight competition going down to the wire.”
In Saturday’s 20-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Metchie led Houston with five receptions on eight targets for 45 yards. “It was good, it was good to get out there,” Metchie said. “It was good to play against somebody else. It’s more of a process thing rather than just a single day, not just, of course, on gameday, but it’s more a process than how you show up every day, how consistent you can be.”
Battling Back From Setbacks
A 2022 second-round pick, Metchie missed his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with leukemia. Cleared to return ahead of the 2023 campaign, the former Alabama standout has struggled to distinguish himself in Houston’s offense. Through 29 career games, he has 40 catches for 412 yards and one touchdown.
The Texans’ moves this offseason — drafting Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, trading for Christian Kirk, and signing Justin Watson — have added competition at receiver. Even with Tank Dell potentially sidelined for the 2025 season, Metchie’s roster spot is not a given.
Competition Making The Team Better
Performances like Saturday’s could help Metchie climb the depth chart. In a wideout group packed with talent, he says competition has only made the team better. “Just showing up, everybody brings their best every day and we all uplift each other,” Metchie said.
“On days you’re not feeling it, the guys will uplift you. On days, the guys aren’t feeling well, that’s kind of our culture. We kind of band together. You talk about that competition in the room, but everybody likes each other, everybody wants to get better, everybody just kind of helping each other.”
Metchie’s ability to play both in the slot and on the outside could boost his chances of making the roster and carving out a role. Against Minnesota, he logged 19 snaps out wide and 12 in the slot, showcasing the flexibility that could be valuable in the Texans’ offensive plans.
