'Really Tough': DeMeco Ryans Reveals Challenge of Replacing Noah Brown

The Houston Texans must find a No. 3 receiver to replace the production lost by Noah Brown.

The Houston Texans have followed the "next man up" mantra all season en route to securing a spot in the AFC Divisional Round. 

They continue to carry that persona following the loss of veteran receiver Noah Brown. 

Brown was placed on the injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury during the first quarter of Saturday's 45-14 wild-card round victory over the Cleveland Browns, thus ending his season. 

“It’s really tough losing Noah,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Noah’s been great for us all year. When he’s been there and been available, Noah’s made clutch plays in critical moments."

Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III (8) shakes hands with quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during a time out to check for a touchdown run during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Brown, who inked a one-year deal this offseason after beginning his career with the Dallas Cowboys, was essential in wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals. In Week 9's 39-37 win over the Bucs, he caught six passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. 

A week later, at Paycor Stadium, he hauled in seven balls for 172 yards while averaging 24.6 yards per catch. Brown ends his season with 55 catches for 567 yards and two touchdowns. 

"It hurts but we have to replace him," Ryans said. "Somebody’s going to have to step up and make those plays.”

Houston has options at receiver outside of Nico Collins and Robert Woods. The Texans could turn to second-year pass-catcher John Metchie III as the go-to man in the slot or rookie Xavier Hutchinson. 

Metchie, a 2022 second-round pick out of Alabama, is coming off a career afternoon where he totaled three catches for 44 yards, including a 27-yard pickup to set up Collins' 15-yard touchdown in the first quarter. All three of Metchie's catches led to scoring opportunities for Houston. 

"What a moment for him this past game for him to come up with a couple of big catches there," Ryans said Monday of Metchie's performance. "I know our entire team was happy to see him make some plays to put us in position to score there.”

From a rep count standpoint, Metchie should be the favorite to replace Brown. In Saturday's win, he played in a career-high 76 percent of the offensive snaps. 

Texans Get Bad News on Noah Brown

When drafted out of Alabama, Metchie was expected to be the No. 2 target in the passing game opposite Collins. Metchie unfortunately missed the entirety of his rookie season battling acute promyelocytic leukemia, a rare, but curable form of cancer. 

“No one’s been through it tougher than him,” Ryans said. “For him to show the resolve to continue to push, continue to fight, to get better at his craft, day in and day out. Nobody works harder on their craft than Metchie, and it was good to see the success come from it in our first playoff game.”

During the regular season, Metchie hauled in 16 passes for 158 yards. He caught at least one pass in every game he was active, minus the 36-22 loss to Cleveland on Christmas Eve. 

A sixth-round pick out of Iowa State, Hutchinson has seen his rep count expand down the stretch. He played in 43 percent of the offensive reps Saturday and 52 percent of reps in the Week 18 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. 

He's not as polished or productive as Metchie, but still offers value. Hutchinson, who caught eight passes for 90 yards during the regular season, set up a block on Browns cornerback Martin Emmerson during the second quarter, leading to Brevin Jordan's record-setting 76-yard touchdown. 

The Texans also promoted receiver Steven Sims to the active roster in place of Brown. Mostly known for his ability on special teams, Sims has totaled 78 catches for 708 yards and five touchdowns in four NFL seasons. 

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“I think that will help us this week, also just being able to utilize him on offense as well with his speed and playmaking ability,” Ryans said of Sims. 

The Texans travel to Baltimore to take on the top-seeded Ravens this Saturday in a rematch of the season-opener. Baltimore, led by MVP favorite Lamar Jackson, won 25-9 after scoring 15 points in the third quarter. 

Kickoff from M&T Bank Stadium is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET.