John Metchie III arrived in Houston as the Texans' second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft amid much fanfare.
After all, if you can star at the University of Alabama, you can probably play.
Metchie's trajectory was altered drastically, however, by a leukemia diagnosis during his rookie season.
He's still trying to climb ... but he has so far failed to make much of a mark in Houston since his return.
With just 412 yards and one touchdown to his name through his two healthy seasons, Metchie enters a contract year buried on the Houston depth chart.
So ...
Could lend itself to a late-offseason trade?
The Pittsburgh Steelers shifted gears at receiver in the offseason by trading for Seattle Seahawks dynamo D.K. Metcalf and then trading away George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys following the 2025 NFL Draft.
To us, that means they left themselves in a similar spot – one big-bodied star on the perimeter and an uninspiring cast of characters behind them.
We wonder, then, if it’s possible general manager Omar Khan returns to the trade block, if not for a starter, then for another contributor who could compete for playing time on a rotational basis.
One candidate? Metchie III.
“Sources: Multiple teams have reached out to the Texans to see if WR John Metchie III would be available in trade due to the plethora of receivers on their roster,” Jordan Schultz posted. “It’s unclear if Houston would move him, but several [teams] are keeping a close eye.''
Schultz doesn't mention the Steelers; we're doing that.
If Pittsburgh could pull this off - on the cheap - Metchie would compete with 2024 Day 2 receiver Roman Wilson, veteran Robert Woods, speedster Scotty Miller, and versatile handyman Ben Skowronek for playing time.
With second-round pedigree, occasional flashes, and a path to playing time, we say Pittsburgh could benefit from sending a late/conditional Day 3 pick to Houston.