Brock Purdy wants every weapon possible heading into next season with the San Francisco 49ers, and one of those was close to being a former Alabama receiver now in his second year in the NFL. But with another NFC East team stepping in and making a stronger offer, the 49ers saw that chance slip away.
It might not have been Purdy’s most dangerous weapon or a game-changer for the offensive line, but it would have been a reliable option. Over the past two seasons, he appeared in 29 games with the Houston Texans, the team that gave him his shot in the pros. Ultimately, though, the Eagles came in and took him off the table.
The player in question is John Metchie III. According to Jordan Schultz, it was the 49ers who were leading the race for him: “The 49ers were the other team trying to trade for John Metchie III. But the Eagles made a better offer,” Schultz reported on X.
John Metchie III, an intriguing addition
Even though Metchie has only scored one touchdown across his 29-game NFL career, he’s been steadily developing. With the Texans going through plenty of struggles, he still managed to carve out opportunities, even starting in three games last year.
At Alabama, Metchie totaled 2,081 receiving yards in three seasons, with his final year being his best — 1,142 yards and eight of his 14 career touchdowns in college football.
In his second season with Houston, he finished as the team’s fourth-best wide receiver in receiving yards (254), also ranking fourth in receptions (24), and third in yards per catch (10.6). That came during what was also a strong 10-7 campaign for the Texans.
Metchie’s contract situation
The Texans had Metchie under a four-year, $8 million deal. His salary for the 2025 season was set at $1.8 million, which makes it easy to imagine the 49ers weren’t offering much more if the Eagles were able to outbid them.
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Brock Purdy’s net worth: How rich is the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers?
