Texans trade Metchie to Eagles for Harrison Bryant in draft-pick swap
The Houston Texans have traded wide receiver John Metchie III to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for tight end Harrison Bryant, with a corresponding swap of 2026 draft picks. Houston will receive Philadelphia’s 2026 fifth-round selection in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, a move tied to the Texans’ earlier trade sending a pick to Philadelphia as part of the deal for safety C.J. Gardner-Jreen Johnson and guard Kenyon Green.
Bryant, 27, is a 6-foot-5, 243-pound former Browns fourth-round pick from Florida Atlantic who has 98 career receptions for 877 yards and 10 touchdowns. He spent last season with the Las Vegas Raiders. In college, he totaled 149 receptions for 2,137 yards and 16 touchdowns, and in the 2022 season with the Browns he had 31 catches for 239 yards and 1 touchdown.
Metchie, a former Alabama standout who was Houston’s second-round pick, appeared to be carving out a role before the trade. He caught a team-high five passes for 45 yards on eight targets in the preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings and totaled 24 receptions for 254 yards and one touchdown last season. In training camp, he was noted for his solid play, including a red-zone drill where he paired up with All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. for a pair of touchdowns. Teammates and coaches had praised him for his resilience after his leukemia comeback, for which he was recognized with the Ed Block Courage Award.
The move comes as Houston looks to rebuild and add depth at tight end after Brevin Jordan sustained a season-ending knee injury. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans lauded Metchie after the Vikings game, saying the receiver “showed up” in a crowded group of pass catchers.
What this means for the teams
– Eagles: Bryant adds size and veteran depth behind Dallas Goedert, potentially creating a more versatile tight end rotation for Philadelphia.
– Texans: Houston acquires an ex-Gold Standard tight end in Bryant while reshuffling its 2026 draft capital and moving on from a promising young receiver in Metchie, who has shown flashes and growth in camp and in preseason.
Additional context and outlook
Bryant’s size and experience give the Eagles a reliable depth option at a key position as they continue to balance development with winning now. For the Texans, the trade aligns with a broader youth movement, prioritizing cap flexibility and future assets while ensuring more immediate depth at tight end to compensate for Jordan’s injury.
Summary
A mid-career reshuffle of two players with different paths: Metchie seeks a new opportunity in Philadelphia with a depth-rich receiving corps, while Bryant arrives in Houston to help stabilize the tight end position behind a young, improving group. The draft-pick exchange adds a future asset to the Texans’ growing collection of selections.