Texans OTAs Preview Part II: Can John Metchie III Return To Form in 2024?

As the Houston Texans begin OTAs, can wide receiver John Metchie III return to the player that made him a standout at Alabama?

Sep 24, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III (8) catches / Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports

John Metchie III spent most of the 2023 season thankful for his return. An ACL injury and a battle with Leukemia sidelined him for his entire rookie season, which made the former Alabama prospect grateful to see his name as part of the Texans' 53-man active roster in 16 out of 17 games played last season.

Although Metchie was jubilant about returning to the game, his subpar production left him yearning for more by the end of the season. Metchie was far from the player the Texans envisioned when they drafted him in the second round (No. 44 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.

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He notched 158 yards on 16 catches. The highlight of his second season came during Houston's Week 13 victory over the Denver Broncos. Midway through the second quarter, Metchie missed out on the chance to record his first career touchdown. Quarterback C.J. Stroud overthrew Metchie on a wide-open pass attempt, in which the two respective parties appeared out of sync.

Five months after his missed opportunity in December, Metchie has had an entire offseason to focus on football, and the results could lead to him establishing himself as a vital member of the Texans' offense in 2024.

On the latest episode of Locked On Texans, Coty M. Davis and John Hickman discuss how OTAs will be the start of Metchie's return to form as the player who once established himself as one of the top wide receivers in college. During his final season in 2021, Metchie recorded a career-best 1,142 yards on 96 catches and eight touchdowns. 

"He has a ton of value — a huge impact that I think he will bring this season," Stroud said on April 15. "I think last year was good to get his feet back in the water coming off of an injury then something so traumatic like being sick how he was. 

"His mindset is that he’s just ready to come back and ball. Not only is he a great football player, but he’s a great person and I wouldn’t want anybody else other than those guys in that room. Metchie is looking amazing."

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Follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24.