Panthers Sign WR John Metchie III to One-Year Deal

The Carolina Panthers bolstered their receiving corps on Wednesday by agreeing to terms on a one-year contract with wide receiver John Metchie III, a former teammate of quarterback Bryce Young from their standout days at the University of Alabama.

The deal, reached shortly after the start of the NFL's new league year, adds a familiar target for Young, who enters his third professional season with the Panthers. Metchie, 25, became an unrestricted free agent when the New York Jets opted not to tender him as a restricted free agent. He joins a wide receiver group led by first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan, who earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors last season, and Jalen Coker, an undrafted free agent who emerged as a reliable starter despite injury setbacks in his first two years.

Metchie and Young forged a strong connection during Alabama's 2021 campaign, when Young won the Heisman Trophy. As Young's primary receiver that year, Metchie recorded 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns, helping power the Crimson Tide's high-powered offense. Their reunion in Carolina could provide an immediate boost in chemistry, especially as the Panthers seek to deepen their...