Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals Linked to Intriguing WR Trade

The Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals have been connected to an interesting wide receiver trade before NFL training camp.

Nov 17, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; A Cincinnati Bengals Riddell Speedflex helmet on the field at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans have thoroughly revamped their receiving corps this offseason, which could put the jobs of some of their holdover wide receivers in jeopardy.

John Metchie III, for example, is someone who is kind of, sort of on the bubble thanks to the Texans bringing in Christian Kirk, Justin Watson, Braxton Berrios and rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

That's a lot of change, and Metchie hasn't really produced enough to guarantee himself a spot on Houston's roster heading into 2025.

Well, Cory Woodroof of For the Win has a simple solution for that: a trade. He proposes a deal in which the Texans would send Metchie to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick, giving the University of Alabama product a fresh start.

"After their main three wide receivers, the Bengals have a lot of questions with depth on the roster. Metchie has flashed impressive play in his Texans tenure, but he's never been able to consistently carve out a role," Woodroof wrote. "Houston has one of the more crowded wideout rooms in the NFL, and Metchie would be an excellent get for Cincinnati at this point in the offseason to compete for the fourth wide receiver spot on the roster. He may well win it. Particularly if injury struck, the Bengals having a solid receiver like Metchie on the roster would be pivotal."

The Texans originally selected Metchie in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He missed his entire rookie campaign due to a bout with leukemia, but unfortunately has not done much since. In two seasons in Houston, Metchie has totaled 40 catches for 412 yards and a touchdown.

With the influx of new receivers for the Texans, it doesn't seem like Metchie will be prioritized any further, so a trade absolutely makes sense for both sides.

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