Eagles land CB Michael Carter II from Jets, send WR John Metchie III the other way: why the swap fits both teams and what the draft-pick flip says

The Philadelphia Eagles moved to shore up their secondary on Wednesday, October 29, acquiring slot corner Michael Carter II from the New York Jets in a deadline-week trade that sends wide receiver John Metchie III to New York. The teams also exchanged 2027 late-round picks—Philadelphia receiving a seventh-rounder and the Jets a sixth—to balance value.

What the Eagles are getting in Michael Carter II

Michael Carter II, 26, has been one of the league’s steadier nickel/slot cornerbacks since entering the NFL in 2021. He’s an instinctive short-area defender with clean footwork, plus tackling, and strong awareness against option routes and bunch looks—bread-and-butter assignments inside modern passing games.

Snapshot

• Position: CB (slot/nickel)

• 2025 season to date: Appeared in five games with 14 total tackles prior to the trade.

• Career (since 2021): 200+ tackles, 2 INT, 3 FR, frequent usage in sub-packages and special teams.

• Calling card: Pattern recognition and leverage wins against shifty slot receivers; reliable blitzer when asked.

Why it fits: Philadelphia has cycled through combinations at corner with injuries and matchup issues against motion-heavy offenses. Carter II arrives tailor-made for inside coverage in split-safety structures, allowing the staff to settle outside roles and lean into disguise without sacrificing run fits on early downs. His efficiency as a tackler also helps on perimeter screens that have burned the Eagles at times this fall.

Contract-wise, league chatter indicated a small adjustment was made to facilitate the move, positioning both team and player for a clean integration without future cap friction.

Why the Jets wanted John Metchie III

For the Jets, the bet is on upside at a position of immediate need. John Metchie III, 25, is a precise route-runner with reliable hands and inside–outside flexibility. After a courageous return from leukemia in 2023 and his first NFL touchdown in 2024, he’s been searching for a larger, consistent role.

Snapshot

• Position: WR

• 2025 season with Eagles: Limited usage (4 receptions, 18 yards), heavy special-teams and depth snaps.

• Career: 40+ catches across his time in Houston and Philadelphia, plus return experience.

• Calling card: Timing routes, quick game, option reads vs. zone; capable in the slot or Z.

Why it fits: New York’s receiver room has leaned hard on top targets while navigating injuries. Metchie’s separation skills on third-and-medium and knack for finding voids vs. zone give the Jets a chain-moving profile they’ve lacked beyond their No. 1 option. The late-round pick upgrade to a 2027 sixth sweetens New York’s side of the calculus while the club evaluates Metchie as more than a rental.

The football math: need-for-need, with upside on both sides

This is classic deadline pragmatism:

• Philadelphia’s lens: A defined role at a premium leverage point (slot CB) where one breakdown can swing drives. Carter II stabilizes the middle of the field and lets the Eagles lean harder into simulated pressure and rotation without exposing the nickel.

• New York’s lens: A low-cost wideout with collegiate production, NFL reps, and runway to grow—plus a draft-pick bump. If Metchie sticks as a dependable No. 3, the trade pays for itself quickly.

How each player projects in Week 9 and beyond

Michael Carter II (Eagles)

• Immediate role: Starting nickel with sub-package blitz responsibilities; special-teams plug-in if needed.

• Metrics to watch: Yards per target allowed from the slot, missed-tackle rate, and third-down stop rate.

• Scheme wrinkle: Expect more trap/robber looks inside the numbers, trusting Carter II to pass off crossers cleanly.

John Metchie III (Jets)

• Immediate role: WR3/WR4 with situational packages; quick-game routes, motion into stacks, and RPO glance slants.

• Metrics to watch: Target separation on intermediate routes, third-down conversion rate when targeted, and EPA/play on in-breakers.

• Scheme wrinkle: Look for choice routes and orbit motion to free Metchie from press and manufacture rhythm throws.

Draft-pick swap decoded

The 2027 sixth-for-seventh exchange may look minor, but it signals how teams valued certainty: the Jets pay a modest premium (moving up a round) to take a swing at a receiver with untapped usage, while the Eagles accept the downshift to solve a present-tense defensive need in a competitive NFC race.

Depth-chart ripples

• Eagles secondary: Carter II’s arrival likely compresses slot snaps for depth corners and could nudge a veteran to more situational outside work. Safety rotations benefit indirectly as coverage checks simplify.

• Jets WR room: Metchie steps into a pathway for snaps behind the top target; his presence may reduce gadget usage on depth receivers and solidify return duties if needed.

The Eagles targeted a surgical fix and got it in Michael Carter II, a ready-made slot corner whose skill set aligns with how they want to defend the middle of the field in November and beyond. The Jets, meanwhile, secured John Metchie III and a small draft bump—an upside play at a position of scarcity. It’s the sort of deadline-week swap that rarely grabs headlines but often shows up on film in December: a third-down pass broken up here, a timing route converted there—and, for both teams, a clearer path to playing the style of football they prefer.