A former New York Jets wide receiver made the wrong choice.
That is the opinion of Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton. He wrote a column highlighting which free agents signed with the wrong teams in free agency.
One of the names on his list was wide receiver John Metchie, who inked a deal with the Carolina Panthers on the open market.
“During Metchie’s time with the Jets, he showed glimpses of promise, hauling in 29 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns in nine games (seven starts). When the Jets had a decent quarterback play out of Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor, Metchie posted respectable numbers. He scored touchdowns in back-to-back games against the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, but Gang Green started undrafted rookie Brady Cook while Fields and Taylor nursed injuries late in the season, which adversely impacted the team’s aerial attack,” Moton wrote.
“Metchie signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency. At best, he’ll settle into the No. 4 spot on the receiver depth chart behind Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, and 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette in an offense that’s most efficient with a strong ground game,” Moton explained.
“Metchie won’t have many opportunities to show why he was a second-round pick out of Alabama a few years ago. He should be on a team that doesn’t have a cemented receiver corps,” Moton said. “Metchie may not play much in three-receiver sets and could struggle to make Carolina’s 53-man roster.”
No Complaints From 1 Jets Drive
If we are being blunt, Metchie would have dealt with the same situation in New York.
The Jets had a chance to tender Metchie as a restricted free agent. They chose not to, which made him an unrestricted free agent. Despite that maneuver, ESPN’s Rich Cimini revealed on social media that the Jets had “some interest” in bringing him back this offseason.
Metchie chose a fresh opportunity instead on the open market. If Metchie had re-upped with the Jets, he’d be in the same role that he is being criticized for taking in Carolina.
The Jets would have had Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell clearly above him in the pecking order. Plus, the team is desperately searching for another WR2 to add to the roster. Metchie wouldn’t have filled that void.
So, in a best-case scenario, Metchie would have been scratching and clawing to possibly be the WR4 on this offense.
Trading for Metchie Made Plenty of Sense
The Metchie – Jets pairing didn’t work in 2025. However, that doesn’t mean it was the wrong move for GM Darren Mougey to make.
It was a worthwhile swing.
The main characters in the Jets’ and Philadelphia Eagles trade were sending Michael Carter II and a 2027 seventh rounder away for a 2027 sixth rounder. It was a salary dump that saved the Jets some sheckles.
Metchie was a random throw-in on the trade. The Eagles weren’t using him. The Jets needed a warm body at wide receiver.
It was a perfect low-risk versus high-reward type move. If Metchie worked out, the Jets found a usable piece at wide receiver. If it didn’t, the Jets could move on, and they did exactly that this offseason.
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