The Philadelphia Eagles have had an interesting battle developing in the wide receiver room on the bottom half of the depth chart this preseason. With A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jahan Dotson sitting, it has allowed others to make some noise. The players who have made the most of their opportunities include Ainias Smith, Darius Cooper, and Johnny Wilson.
That said, the battle to make the roster in the wide receiver room just got a lot more interesting. On Sunday, the Eagles traded tight end Harrison Bryant and a 5th-round pick to the Houston Texans for wide receiver John Metchie and a 6th-round pick. Metchie's addition to this receiver room likely means a player like Cooper won't make the roster.
Eagles' John Metchie Trade Likely Leads to Darius Cooper not Making 53-Man Roster
The Texans had high hopes for Metchie when they drafted him in the second round during the 2022 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, the former Alabama receiver missed his rookie year due to his battle with cancer. Since his return in 2023, he has yet to impress.
In two seasons, Metchie has recorded 40 catches on 67 targets for 412 yards and one touchdown. The 25-year-old has only made three starts in his career, which many Texans fans would say is an indictment of his play.
Still, given the Eagles have proven they can get the most out of players on offense, the hope is Metchie can develop into a good depth piece. However, that puts a player like Cooper, who has had a great preseason, on the roster bubble.
So far this preseason, Cooper has six receptions on seven targets for 82 yards and one touchdown. His best catch came on an over-the-shoulder touchdown grab where he showed his speed and route-running ability.
Darius Cooper (UDFA), Preseason, Week 2
— Zareh Kantzabedian (@ZKantzFF) August 8, 2025
-7 targets, 6 receptions, 82 yards, and 1 TD
-6’0”
-190 lbs
-40 yard dash: 4.49
-Vertical: 38”
-Bench Press: 18 reps
-Broad Jump: 10’6 pic.twitter.com/7Nj7QqhoyQ
Though Cooper was silent in their second preseason game, it wasn't his fault as the Eagles' offense struggled. Furthermore, he has also displayed what he is capable of during training camp. Despite that, making the roster now with Metchie's addition will be difficult.
After trading for Metchie, he is likely a lock to make the roster. That means he will have to beat out Wilson, Anias Smith, and Terrace Marshall Jr. to make the roster. The odds of that happening seem extremely low for the undrafted free agent.
Nevertheless, Matchie's addition gives Eagles fans even more of a reason to tune into their final preseason game this week.