Disappointing Jets rookie just got unexpected lifeline from John Metchie news

The Jets said we're good here.

Charlie Baduini

New York Jets wide receiver John Metchie III / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Jets reportedly do not plan on tendering wide receiver John Metchie III as a restricted free agent, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

New York could've tendered Metchie and signed him to a one-year $3.5 million deal for the 2026 season. Instead, he'll be allowed to test the free agent market.

Metchie was a good midseason add by Darren Mougey, sending cornerback Michael Carter II and a late Day 3 pick swap to the Philadelphia Eagles for the former Alabama standout. In seven games with the Jets, Metchie caught 29 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns.

Unfortunately, the Jets' new coaching staff doesn't view him as a future contributor and is allowing him to move on.

John Metchie news is positive for fringe wide receivers Arian Smith, Isaiah Williams

It's a positive development for Jets wide receiver Arian Smith, New York's fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. After getting some reps early in the season, Smith was completely phased out in the backhalf of the season in favor of Metchie and special teamer Isaiah Williams. He finished the season with seven catches for 52 yards.

There was some speculation that it would be hard for Smith to crack the 53-man roster this upcoming summer, but with Metchie now out of the picture, his odds certainly improved.

That doesn't mean the Jets won't address the wide receiver position this offseason. They essentially don't have a choice.

Superstar wideout Garrett Wilson is a stud, but he needs someone else out there who will pull attention away from him. Despite not catching a pass after Week 6, Wilson still led the Jets in receiving yards with 395.

New York's other midseason trade acquisition, Adonai Mitchell, flashed over the backhalf of the season, catching 24 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. But he may be better suited for a WR3-type role, as opposed to a legitimate No. 2 threat.

The free agent market certainly provides some intriguing veteran names in Jauan Jennings, Deebo Samuel, and Alec Pierce, but the Jets could also look to target a pass catcher with one of their two first-round picks, more likely No. 16 overall.

Still, Smith and Williams' odds to have an increased offensive role have improved for 2026, and that's a positive for the two speedsters.

Charlie Baduini

Charlie Baduini covers the New York Jets as a site expert for The Jet Press and FanSided. He is a sports journalist based in Northern New Jersey with a wide variety of sports reporting experience in print and broadcast journalism. Baduini’s byline can also be seen on Heavy and The Sporting News, where he covers several teams across the NFL and NBA. His work has been featured in Heavy, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Yahoo Sports, MSN, and Yardbarker. He also serves as a seasonal intern for ESPN, working as a production assistant for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony every year since 2022. Baduini has been a Jets fan for as long as he can remember, with his family's fandom dating back to the 1960s when his grandfather, Louis, became a season ticket holder. His family has since held on to the tickets to this day. He is an avid fan of the New York Knicks and New York Mets.