Philadelphia’s latest secondary move zeroes in on role fit as much as need. Michael Carter II has primarily lived in the slot, where short-area quickness and communication are king, and that’s exactly where the Eagles have been patching snaps.
The former Jets defensive back missed time earlier this month with a concussion, but the evaluation on him has always been about versatility: inside coverage, pattern-match smarts, and willingness as a blitzer and tackler, traits that translate cleanly to Vic Fangio’s spacing rules.
Per Ian Rapoport, the Eagles are trading for Jets corner Michael Carter II to fill that need, with WR John Metchie III heading to New York. In full: Philadelphia gets Carter and a 2027 seventh-rounder; the Jets get Metchie and a 2027 sixth-rounder.
Sources: The #Eagles are trading for #Jets versatile CB Michael Carter II to fill a need for them, with WR John Metchie III heading to NYJ in the deal.
In all:
— Philly gets Carter and a 2027 7th rounder.
— New York gets Metchie and a 2027 6th rounder. pic.twitter.com/PAVGNwLL1k— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 29, 2025
For Philly, Carter II is a plug-and-play nickel who can handle option routes, bunches, and motion without blowing landmarks. He lets the outside corners stay outside, stabilizes third-down packages, and gives the pass rush that extra beat when slot windows don’t pop open immediately. The late-round pick swap is a small price for a clean schematic fit.
For the Jets, Metchie III is a change-of-scenery bet on polish. He’s a route technician with inside/outside flexibility, good hands, and enough burst to threaten intermediate windows.
If he stacks healthy weeks, he profiles as a timing-based target who helps on third down and in the red zone. In a room that needs trustworthy separators, that’s a swing worth taking, especially when it also bumps New York up a round in 2027.
Zooming out, the swap reflects both teams’ timelines: Philadelphia shores up a specific weak spot for the stretch run; New York adds a young receiver with upside and minor draft value. It’s tidy business on both sides.
As for Metchie’s broader outlook, prior “grades” pegged him as a viable WR3/4 who could grow with reps, the kind of acquisition Philly often maximizes and the Jets now hope to. The evaluation hasn’t changed: if he stacks availability, the skill set plays.
