The Philadelphia Eagles upgraded their wide receiver room Sunday by trading tight end Harrison Bryant and a fifth-round pick to the Houston Texans for WR John Metchie and a sixth-round pick. The move seems like a minor one to add depth to a top-heavy receiving corps, but it could signal something much more ominous.
Eagles fans, let’s talk about the new weapon, John Metchie!
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) August 17, 2025
He’s incredibly capable, just needs confidence, but that’s the 1 thing Nick Sirianni has in abundance! #Eagles pic.twitter.com/QsO7wuhscu
There's always a method to the madness when it comes to Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. The longtime executive wouldn't make a trade this close to the regular season without an underlying meaning behind it. In early August, he traded for cornerback Jakorian Bennett of the Las Vegas Raiders partly because Adoree Jackson and Kelee Ringo have failed to impress as CB2 options. A similar situation may be developing with the wide receivers.
It doesn't get much better than A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in the top two slots, but Brown hasn't practiced in more than two weeks because of a hamstring injury. The star wideout has a history of soft tissue injuries, and his current issue could linger longer than expected. Bringing in Metchie could be a signal that Brown's injury might be more concerning than the team is letting on.
The more likely answer, though, is the receivers behind Brown and Smith on the depth chart aren't up to snuff. Jahan Dotson, who's in line to be the third starting WR, had only 19 catches, 216 yards receiving and no touchdowns in the regular season last year despite playing in all 17 games. The 2022 first-round pick hasn't been worth the price (a third-round pick) Philadelphia paid for him last offseason.
After Dotson, the depth at wide receiver looks bleak. Johnny Wilson is coming off a rookie season in which he caught only five of his 15 total targets. Terrace Marshall Jr. has only 22 catches, 180 receiving yards and no touchdowns in 16 games over the past two seasons. Second-year wideout Ainias Smith and rookie Darius Cooper are intriguing talents, but they're too young and inexperienced to contribute much in 2025.
There's a strong chance this trade for Metchie indicates Dotson is continuing to struggle in his WR3 role. At the very least, the Eagles clearly don't feel confident in their depth at wide receiver.
If Metchie, who starred at Alabama, doesn't emerge as a potential WR3, Philadelphia will be heavily reliant on Brown and Smith. Considering Brown is already dealing with a nagging injury, this wide receiver room should be viewed as a potential weakness in 2025.
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