The Washington Commanders have sent Jahan Dotson and a fifth-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a 2025 third-round and two seventh-round picks. The trade comes as a surprise to many as it is very rare to see trades within the division, let alone a recent first-round pick.
Dotson's Washington Career
Two years ago, the Commanders selected Jahan Dotson as the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Dotson was viewed as one of the top wideouts in the draft after an electric senior year at Penn State. Dotson’s rookie season was cut short to only 12 games, where he hauled 35 receptions for 523 yards and seven touchdowns.
Last season, Dotson stayed healthy but underperformed, and he was looking to get back on track for Washington this season with Jayden Daniels. In his two seasons with the Commanders, Dotson had three different quarterbacks throwing the ball to him. The team jumped from Carson Wentz to Taylor Heinicke and then to Sam Howell, making it hard for a young receiver to develop any chemistry.
What Does it Mean for WSH?
At one point, Dotson was considered the team's second-leading receiver after Terry McLaurin, but now that he is off to Philly, someone will need to step up as Jayden Daniels's new second-leading option. Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey will be the top choices to line up opposite Terry McLaurin, with Olaminde Zaccheaus and Jamison Crowder lining up in the slot.
We will know more after the final cuts are made after the preseason finale (Jayden Daniels will not play after being named the team's starter, per Dan Quinn), but this opens the door for some intriguing names, like Byron Pingle and Matavis Bryant, to survive the final roster cuts.
As for Dotson, he is off to be the Eagles' number three target, and Washington fans can only hope that it doesn’t come back to hurt them by trading a former first-round pick to their rival.
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