A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support automatic timing adjustment of a plurality of paths carrying metadata of incoming data packets in a network switch to meet their respective timing constraints. First, the paths for transmitting different pieces of metadata of incoming packets are identified in the network switch. Once the metadata paths are identified, the proposed approach identifies the timing constraints that the metadata paths need to satisfy in order for the network switch to function properly. The proposed approach then calculates the current delays of the metadata paths and determines optimal timing values of each of the metadata paths in order to meet the timing constraints. The optimal timing values of the metadata paths are then compared to the current delays of the metadata paths to identify the paths which current delay values need to be adjusted. These identified metadata paths are then adjusted accordingly to meet the timing constraints at the minimum cost in terms of additional areas taken by devices and interconnect wires need to be included in the layout of the network switch.