The Houston Texans had a rather uneventful start to their 2023 season. In CJ Stroud's first game as an NFL starter, it was clear that there was a lot of work that needed to be done. There were some high points, yes. For the most part, though, there were many areas that needed to be fixed. The Texans could have a potential solution on their hands with the debut of John Metchie III.
Metchie, the Texans' second-round pick in 2022, missed all of his rookie season after being diagnosed with leukemia. After a year off, the wide receiver has been cleared to play. Metchie was a full participant in practice as well, and with one of Houston's WRs heading to the IR, there's a path for Metchie to play. When asked about this, the WR had this to say, per NBC Sports.
““I’m extremely excited, but I can’t get too ahead of myself,” Metchie said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC. “I just, like I said, have to be patient. That’s kind of the biggest thing. Although I’m real excited, I got to be patient and ready whenever my number is called.””
While this is a rebuilding year for the Texans, that is not an excuse for them to suck terribly this season. They will be judging their current players to see who fits best with their timeline. If John Metchie can build chemistry with CJ Stroud, the Texans will look at this season as a success.
Still, it's be nice for the Texans to snag actual victories this season, not just moral ones. The Texans face the Colts in Week 2, pitting two of the best rookie quarterbacks against each other. Can Metchie be that reliable man for Stroud to target?