After spending last summer as a trade candidate, John Metchie remained in place with the Texans. That will not be the case in 2025, however. 
Houston has agreed to trade the fourth-year receiver to the Eagles, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. One season remains on Metchie’s rookie contract. The 25-year-old Canadian was sidelined for the 2022 season while recovering from Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. Since then, he has struggled to carve out a role in the Texans’ passing game. Adding further details on the swap, Schefter’s colleague DJ Bien-Aime notes tight end Harrison Bryant is headed the other way.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the teams will swap future Day 3 picks they previously exchanged. The Texans will get back their sixth-rounder in 2026, while the Eagles will once again have their own fifth-round selection in that year.
Metchie handled a 29% snap share in 2023, and that figure rose to 45% last season. While looking to earn a role amongst Houston’s more established wideouts, the Alabama product recorded 254 yards and one touchdown on 24 catches. Entering a contract year, an uptick in production will be sought out in Philadelphia (although the team’s WR depth will of course make that challenging).
The Super Bowl champions will once again have A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith atop the depth chart in 2025. Philadelphia also has Jahan Dotson – acquired via trade almost exactly one year ago – in the fold. Metchie will look to earn a role behind that trio and alongside Terrace Marshall Jr. as well as 2024 draftees Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports the 49ers also made an offer for Metchie, but the Eagles’ proposal was better.
Houston’s receiver room still includes Nico Collins, but the Pro Bowler will have a much different supporting cast around him compared to 2024. Stefon Diggs departed in free agency, while Tank Dell is not expected to play this season as he recovers from a major knee injury. The Texans swung an intra-divisional trade for Christian Kirk in the spring before adding Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel during the draft. Both Iowa State rookies figure to play a role on offense early and often in their careers.
Bryant played out his rookie contract with the Browns before spending 2024 in Vegas. The 27-year-old signed with the Eagles in March. Before seeing any regular season game action with his new team, however, Bryant finds himself on the move. Like Metchie, he is a pending 2026 free agent. Bryant will now join a Texans TE room which lost Brevin Jordan for the season recently. He will look to step in as a backup to Dalton Schultz.
The Texans and Eagles worked out a trade earlier this offseason, with safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and guard Kenyon Green being swapped. The teams have repeated a player-for-player trade shortly before the deadline for roster cuts. Now, both Metchie and Bryant will spend the coming weeks acclimating to their new teams while looking to help their market values for next spring.