Panthers agree to terms with receiver who played with Bryce Young at Alabama
The Carolina Panthers have added a playmaker to their depth chart in free agency. And he’s got an existing relationship with starting quarterback Bryce Young.
The team reached an agreement on a one-year deal with former New York Jets wide receiver John Metchie III, a league source confirmed to The Charlotte Observer. ESPN was first to report the agreement.
Metchie was set to become a restricted free agent Wednesday, but the Jets chose not to offer him a restricted tender. So, the former Alabama standout was free to sign with a new team at the start of the new league year.
Panthers GM Dan Morgan and EVP of football operations Brandt Tilis were able to reach a pact with Metchie roughly a half-hour into Wednesday’s open market.
Metchie now joins a wide receiver group headlined by Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette. The depth chart also features Jimmy Horn Jr., Brycen Tremayne and recently re-signed David Moore.
Getting to know new Panthers WR John Metchie
The former Alabama receiver has had to weather quite a bit of adversity during his NFL career. Shortly after being selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, Metchie was diagnosed with a form of leukemia. He was forced to sit out his entire rookie season while undergoing treatment.
He returned to the field in 2023, and appeared in 16 games, producing 16 catches for 158 yards. His performance improved in 2024, as he snagged 24 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown. He was traded to Philadelphia in 2025, appearing in just seven games before being sent to the New York Jets around the NFL trade deadline. In just nine games with the Jets, Metchie put up career-high numbers with 29 catches for 256 yards and two touchdowns..
Metchie will now reunite with Young, who served as his starting QB in Tuscaloosa in 2021. Metchie and Young connected on 96 completions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns during that campaign.
Why Metchie made sense for the Panthers
The Panthers had a need for shiftiness at wide receiver. While McMillan and Coker carried the passing game as weapons down the stretch of last season, neither is known as a consistent yards-after-catch playmaker.
Metchie is a shifty, quick pass-catcher with upside. While his one-year deal doesn’t preclude the Panthers from looking elsewhere at the position, Metchie’s route-running ability and background with Young make him an intriguing addition to the Panthers’ offseason roster.
At age 25, Metchie has development worth exploring, and wide receivers coach Rob Moore has done a nice job of shepherding young playmakers like McMillan, Coker and Horn.
McMillan is the team’s legitimate “X” receiver. Last year’s first-round pick and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is the straw that stirs the drink for the entire offense. But the team needs a possession receiver who can break tackles and get down the field.
While Coker has proven to be a quality starting receiver when healthy, the former undrafted free agent has dealt with injuries in each of his first two seasons. The Panthers need insurance behind McMillan and Coker, and the jury is still out on Legette, a former first-round pick who has struggled to find consistency.
Metchie can come in and compete with Legette, Horn, Tremayne and Moore for playing time. Given his relationship with Young, he should be able to get settled in relatively quickly in Carolina. If he can take advantage of having a familiar face at quarterback, Metchie’s “prove it” deal could lead to something more.
The Panthers should be rooting for that outcome.
This story was originally published March 11, 2026 at 4:46 PM.
