On Thursday, it was reported that San Francisco 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings re-aggravated a calf injury that he had been dealing with since OTAs. The veteran receiver is now sidelined with no timetable for a return.
This news came with Brandon Aiyuk already on the PUP list as he works his way back from an ACL and MCL injury. Also, this is the first season of the post-Deebo Samuel era, after San Francisco traded him to the Washington Commanders earlier this offseason.
With all of the top wideouts from last season either injured or traded, other Niners receivers like Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing are also dealing with injuries. Pearsall did return to practice on Thursday, but San Francisco still has a really thin group.
While there are a couple of high-profile free-agent wideouts, the 49ers could add some depth to the room by trading for a young receiver who could use a change of scenery.
Houston Texans receiver John Metchie III is entering his fourth season in the league, and he could be a perfect trade candidate for San Francisco.
49ers should explore trading with Texans for John Metchie III
The Texans selected Metchie with the 44th-overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but his career has had an unfortunate start. The receiver sat out his rookie season while battling leukemia. He was able to return in 2023, and played in 16 games for Houston, catching 16 passes for 158 yards. Last year, he caught 24 passes for 254 yards and one touchdown in 13 games for the Texans.
Now, returning for his fourth year, he doesn’t seem to be in Houston’s plans at wide receiver. The Texans have veterans Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, and drafted two rookie wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Houston also still has Tank Dell, but he’s recovering from a knee injury suffered late last season.
In addition to all the talent in Houston’s receiver room, 2025 is also a contract year for Metchie. Regardless of what happens this season, it’ll likely be his final year with the Texans.
That means a trade would make sense for the Texans as well, as they could pick up a late-round pick for the veteran receiver.
While it’s unclear what Metchie could be if he came to San Francisco, it makes sense for the 49ers to take the gamble. It would be a low-risk move for a team that desperately needs healthy receivers.