(SportsRadio 610) - Texans wide receiver John Metchie III missed his rookie season while battling leukemia. The second-round pick was a standout at Alabama and at some point is expected to be a significant contributor to the Texans.
But the priority is making sure his more long-term health is intact, for which he's undergone treatment since last summer.
General manager Nick Caserio joined Payne & Pendergast on Wednesday morning in a wide-ranging interview. When Caserio was asked about Metchie, he gave glowing reviews about the receiver's recovery and work ethic.
Caserio works out at the facility on Fridays, when Metchie is also at the training facility.
"John was in there every Friday kind of going through his workout and he actually looks better now than he did when we drafted him in the spring," Caserio said. "He's improved his strength, his lower body strength. His attitude has been great, even though he's been dealing with a lot of things medically. But quite frankly, you wouldn't know. This kid is incredible. He's a special kid.
"So, does that mean he's going to be able to walk out there and catch 100 passes? No, I'm not saying that. But it's been amazing to watch his progression from when we brought him in, kind of to what he went through over the summer, what he did during the course of the fall and it's really a tremendous credit to him. It speaks to who he is as a person and I think it's emblematic of the type of people we have in this building. He'll probably have some modifications. I don't know exactly what that looks like. But at some point, assuming everything goes OK, then I think he'll have an opportunity to participate fully, assuming everything gets cleared."
