NFL fans opened the week focused on a wave of signings as the league's free agency tampering window officially opened. But just as teams were throwing millions of dollars toward free agents, the Houston Texans were busy pulling off a different kind of transaction.
On Monday afternoon, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Texans have traded starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Washington Commanders in exchange for four draft selections — including a 2025 third-rounder and 2026 second-rounder. The deal saves Houston $13.85 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, giving general manager Nick Casero some much-needed financial relief.
Although Tunsil's trade was necessary to create cap space, the Texans might not be done cutting ties with veterans yet. Needing as much money as possible, these three Houston players could be next on the chopping block.
1. John Metchie, WR
Expectations were astronomically high for John Metchie when the Texans drafted him 44th overall in 2022. The Taiwan-born playmaker was coming off an impressive collegiate career that saw him record 151 receptions for 2,058 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in 26 games across his last two seasons with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Unfortunately, Metchie hasn't exactly produced well at the NFL level. Although he's shown flashes of potential here and there, a 40-412-1 stat line through his first two seasons is fairly disappointing. He only averaged 2.8 targets despite playing 45% of offensive snaps in 2024, highlighting how he's become an afterthought in Houston's aerial attack.
Metchie's outlook seemed promising after the news of Tank Dell's ACL tear, but the path to a potentially bigger role has become murkier. The Texans have since traded for veteran WR Christian Kirk while signing Braxton Berrios in free agency. With Nico Collins and Xavier Hutchinson returning for another season, there's a chance that Metchie might not even be the WR4 once training camp wraps up.
Entering the last deal of his rookie contract, the Texans can rid themselves of Metchie's entire $1.8 million cap hit by waving or trading him at any time this offseason. With every dollar counting, Houston might as well take the potential savings while giving the struggling pass-catcher a fresh start elsewhere.