Even though they’re on a bye, the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t waste any time addressing one of their pressing needs ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. On Wednesday, the club acquired veteran cornerback Michael Carter II and a 2027 seventh-round pick from the New York Jets in exchange for wide receiver John Metchie III and a 2027 sixth-round pick.
While most Eagles fans’ attention is on Carter and how he fits in the secondary, the trade also has some ramifications for the WR unit. With Metchie heading to New York, it cements undrafted free agent Darius Cooper as Philadelphia’s WR4.
Following the trade, Zach Berman of The Athletic pointed out on Twitter that the rookie wideout “capitalized multiple checkpoints through the summer,” helping him make the 53-man roster and get on the field in the first three weeks of the season.
Darius Cooper Receives Unexpected Promotion Following Wednesday's Trade
The former Tarleton State star went on injured reserve following the Eagles’ Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Rams. But when it was reported that star wide receiver A.J. Brown might not play in Week 8 against the New York Giants, the Eagles opened up Cooper’s 21-day practice window and activated him for the contest.
That was not a good sign for Metchie, who was struggling to get on the field in the weeks that Cooper was on injured reserve. Between Weeks 4-7, Metchie received 12 offensive snaps and only two on special teams. In Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Metchie recorded two receptions (two targets) for 10 yards. He surprisingly didn’t play in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings, despite being active for the game.
Before those sets of games, the Eagles tried Metchie on kick returns, which did not work out well.
Then, in last week’s game against the Giants, Metchie only played nine offensive snaps, while Cooper saw a season-high 26. Granted, the 23-year-old rookie didn’t get a target, but the fact that he outsnapped Metchie coming off IR was a telling sign and solidified his spot on the roster.
Going forward, the Eagles hope that Cooper can continue to develop as their WR4, as the only other depth WR they have is Xavier Gipson. That said, Gipson is Philadelphia’s designated kick return specialist at the moment, so it'll be crucial for Cooper to help the coaching staff out by making the most of his opportunities.
The Eagles also have a few veteran WRs on the practice squad in Terrace Marshall Jr., Quez Watkins, and Britain Covey; however, they already know what those guys can and cannot bring to the table. The jury is still out on what Cooper is as an NFL wide receiver, but the Eagles are clearly comfortable with figuring that out on the fly by letting go of Metchie.