Wide receiver John Metchie III hasn’t practiced with his teammates during Phase 3 of the Houston Texans’ offseason program. But it isn’t the cancer that prevented Metchie from playing during the 2022 NFL season that’s keeping him off the field this time.

The former Alabama standout had been a full participant in Houston’s offseason program earlier in the spring, but a hamstring injury has kept him on the sidelines as the workouts have expanded.

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The Texans are nearing the end of their offseason program and expect Metchie to be ready when they return for training camp late next month, KPRC-TV in Houston reported.

“I’m not setting any expectations on Metch,” wide-receivers coach Ben McDaniels told the Houston Chronicle. “I certainly will not put any ceilings on him. He’s proved to everybody that that’s unnecessary, and he’ll attempt to shatter those ceilings. My expectations are high for him returning — whenever that is — and hitting the ground running.”

A second-round draft choice from Alabama one year ago, Metchie missed his rookie season after being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia in July.

According to the National Institutes of Health’s Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, acute promyelocytic leukemia occurs when “there are too many immature blood-forming cells (promyelocytes) in the blood and bone marrow. This buildup of promyelocytes leads to a shortage of normal white and red blood cells and platelets in the body. The signs and symptoms of APL include an increased risk both to bleed and form blood clots. Individuals may also experience excessive tiredness, pain in affected areas, loss of appetite and weight loss.”

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society calls APL “the most curable form of adult leukemia” with cure rates of 90 percent at centers specializing in treatment of the disease.

Houston is in the final portion of its offseason program, when teams are allowed to conduct 10 days of organized team practice activity, usually referred to as OTAs. The Texans held their first OTA on May 22 and will be back on the field on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday this week to complete their allotment. No contact work is permitted during these practices, but teams can expand their offseason workouts to include 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

Houston will wrap up its offseason program with a mandatory minicamp scheduled for June 13-14.

The Texans used the second pick in this year’s NFL Draft on Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. Houston doesn’t have a seasoned wide receiver for him to target, but hopes to have Metchie among the options in Stroud’s rookie season.

Six-time 1,000-yard receiver Brandin Cooks led Houston with 57 receptions for 699 yards and three touchdowns in 2022, but the Texans traded him to the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. Chris Moore caught 48 passes for 548 yards and two touchdowns last season for Houston, but he has joined the Tennessee Titans in free agency.

Houston’s leading returning receiver is former Clay-Chalkville standout Nico Collins. Injuries caused Collins to miss seven games in 2022. In the other 10, he had 37 receptions for 481 yards and two touchdowns.

The Texans signed wide receivers Noah Brown and Robert Woods in free agency. A 1,000-yard receiver for the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 and 2019, Woods had 53 receptions for 527 yards and two touchdowns for the Titans in 2022. Brown is coming off his best pro season after catching 43 passes for 555 yards and three touchdowns for the Cowboys.

Houston also drafted two wide receivers in April — Houston’s Tank Dell, who began his college career at Alabama A&M, in the third round and Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson in the sixth round.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.