Behind the Steel Curtain
John Metchie III’s name has been bandied about for a few years
Mini camp has ended, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to add another wideout after trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in May. As things currently stand, 33-year-old Robert Woods is likely to be third in the wideout hierarchy. In my opinion, that can’t be the case. But Woods could serve as a strong veteran voice in the locker room, helping mentor the likes of Calvin Austin III, and possibly another wideout he shared a room with last season.
Yep, it’s time to revisit the John Metchie III talks for the second consecutive year. Yahoo Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that he was on the trade block last offseason.
Metchie, 23, is entering a contract year and is backlogged in the Texans’ offense. Although WR Tank Dell likely won’t return from a gruesome injury suffered last season, the Texans still have Nico Collins and Xavier Hutchinson, and drafted Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins (second round) and Jaylin Noel (third round) in this year’s NFL draft.
Obviously, this is a clear indicator of how the Texans feel about Metchie III, who has just 40 receptions and 412 yards since returning to the field in 2023.
I understand your argument - why wouldn’t they just keep him? But I’m not sure a player on the trade block, who has two receivers drafted in the early rounds, would be in their plans moving forward. They’d probably be doing him a solid by giving him an opportunity with another team.
I’m not implying that he will come to Pittsburgh and take a gargantuan leap, but as the roster currently stands, he’d have an opportunity to see the field.
It’s worth mentioning that Metchie III was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2022 and suffered various injuries that kept him off the field. He’s an incredible story of resiliency, and I wouldn’t count him out moving forward. I can’t imagine the time it would take to recover from the serious impact that had occurred.
If the Steelers are unable to sign another veteran, I wouldn’t be opposed to reuniting Metchie III with Woods.
He also won’t cost much - likely a 6th or 7th-round pick in 2025.
Taking a chance on the upside is never a bad idea, especially with a receiver room that needs multiple reinforcements.
