In a stunning move, the Washington Commanders have decided to part ways with wide receiver Jahan Dotson, a former first-round pick. The Commanders have agreed to send Dotson and a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a third-round pick and two seventh-round picks. The Eagles confirmed the deal on Thursday morning, shaking up the rosters of both teams.
This decision comes on the heels of head coach Dan Quinn publicly stating that several players, including Dotson, were vying for the No. 2 receiver position behind star Terry McLaurin. Despite being a highly touted draft pick, Dotson failed to stand out in the competition, perhaps foreshadowing his departure from Washington.
During his two seasons with the Commanders, Dotson put up modest numbers, tallying 35 receptions for 523 yards and seven touchdowns in one season, and 49 catches for 517 yards and four touchdowns in the other. However, his performance dipped in various metrics in his second year, raising concerns about his long-term prospects with the team.
With Dotson now out of the picture, Washington will turn to other options such as Luke McCaffrey, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Dyami Brown to step up in the receiving corps alongside McLaurin. Adding to the mix are top draft pick Jayden Daniels, tight ends Zach Ertz and rookie Ben Sinnott, as well as running backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler.
On the other side of the trade, the Eagles are taking a calculated risk in bringing in Dotson to bolster their receiving corps. With A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith already in place as top targets, Philadelphia has been searching for a reliable third receiving option. Dotson, despite his underwhelming NFL performance thus far, brings potential and a low acquisition cost to the table.
Now, let’s assess the trade from both perspectives…
For Washington, the trade can only be viewed as a disappointment. Giving up on a recent first-round pick for a mere pick swap and a couple of seventh-rounders is a tough pill to swallow. Dotson’s lackluster production may be partially attributed to the lack of a quality quarterback throwing him the ball, but the return in this trade falls short of expectations.
On the flip side, the Eagles may have secured a bargain in acquiring Dotson. While his NFL output has been less than stellar, the potential upside at such a low cost makes this trade a sensible gamble. Philadelphia’s receiving corps has been lacking outside of Brown and Smith, and Dotson could provide the missing spark they’ve been searching for.
Both teams will be closely monitoring the development of this trade as the upcoming season unfolds, with hopes that it will pay dividends in their respective quests for success on the gridiron.