The Philadelphia Eagles have made a trade with the Washington Commanders for Jahan Dotson, the former Penn State product. The Eagles traded a 2025 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-round picks in return for Dotson and a 2025 fifth-round pick. The trade stabilizes the third receiver spot for the Eagles.
Originally, Parris Campbell, John Ross, and rookie Johnny Wilson were all names in the running. However, none of them could separate themselves, which led to the trade.
From the Commanders point of view, Dotson had been on the roster bubble entering this season. Whether he fell out of favor with the coaching staff that didn’t draft him, or some other reason, remains to be seen. However, for a team with a rookie quarterback, the Commanders should be adding talent, not subtracting it.
Nonetheless, it is an interesting move and gives the Eagles some much-needed stability at a position they cycled through the past few years.
Jahan Dotson impact for the Eagles
It’s a classic late preseason move from Howie Roseman and the Eagles to trade for Dotson, who’s flashed potential but has since struggled.
Dotson was solid as a rookie for Washington, posting a 70.5 PFF grade in a middle-of-the-road passing attack. He followed up that impressive season with a sophomore slump in a new offensive system under Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy is no longer with the team and is coaching at UCLA as an assistant head coach.
Even if coaching was a problem, that does not excuse the five drops he had last season – which put him at T-20th in the league. His drop rate on targets is even higher. Dotson struggled this past year, but the trade details make this a risk worth taking.
Looking at the trade, it is not that much of a risk for Philadelphia. Dotson has a low cap hit these next two years, and the third-round pick traded from the Eagles was acquired for a 2024 fourth-round pick from the Miami Dolphins so they could select Jaylen Wright.
The Eagles will benefit from this move for more reasons than one.
The team has rotated many names at the position over the years. Whether that be Julio Jones in his later years, Quez Watkins, Olamide Zaccheaus, or a handful of other names. This team has always needed someone behind AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith. Now, they get that player who had the talent to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
This move speaks more about the current situation in the Eagles receiver room and training camp. Roseman and company thought the team needed another receiver after their performances this offseason. Dotson will provide stability and help get the best out of another current Eagle receiver.
The impact to DeVonta Smith
Now, Dotson will need to catch up to speed in the Eagles’ offense. Yet once he does, he will provide a unique dynamic.
Dotson did run a bunch of routes out of the slot in 2023, but he performs better on the outside. His ability to play outside will allow Smith to play more in the slot, where he feasts on defenses. Smith’s 3.39 yards per route run in the slot would be second-best in the league, only behind Tyreek Hill, to show how good that number is. He was second in YPRR in the slot, only behind Justin Jefferson.
Jahan Dotson was awful last year, but as a rookie in 2022, he averaged 1.64 YPPR outside vs. 1.18 inside.
Why could it be important?
DeVonta Smith over the last two years averaged 1.85 and 1.78 YPRR outside, respectively, vs. 3.39 (!) and 2.35 in the slot.@FantasyPtsData
— Joe Dolan (@FG_Dolan) August 22, 2024
Smith is a good receiver on the outside; yet on the inside, he is a different player.
This trade will let Smith play the slot freely, which would not have been the case if Campbell won the job as he is primarily a slot receiver. So, if Dotson does not live up to expectations but still runs routes outside, he will still be providing for this offense.
Overall trade thoughts
Dotson is a fine third option at wide receiver; he will also be behind Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert in the pecking order of the offense. The trade is good for both parties, but fans can look at and interpret this trade in many different ways.
Did the Commanders let Dotson down? Was he not a fit for their offense? Was Dotson’s rookie year an outlier for performance? Why couldn’t he secure a role in a weak receiver room? There are so many questions, which are just from the Commanders’ side. The risk is so low from the Eagles’ side of things, given the compensation in the trade. The question that will be answered quickly is if the problems were Dotson, the player, or the Commanders as an organization.
Dotson has everything he needs to succeed in Philadelphia. He has two star receivers ahead of him drawing coverage, a rock-solid running game, and stability at quarterback, which he has been unable to have in his first two years.
Dotson will have a chip on his shoulder, but not the ultimate pressure to succeed like he did in Washington. The offense will not hinge on him being a significant piece in 2024. However, injuries could change the situation quickly, so he must show something in practice and eventually game action.
Ultimately, the belief is that Dotson will find his footing in the Eagles’ offense. While he may not be spectacular, he will do what is needed of him and provide depth in the offense. Many say he was over-drafted, and that could very well be the case with how his tenure in Washington went. Now, he will have the chance to change the narrative in a better situation.
Grading the Jahan Dotson trade to the Eagles
Eagles: B+
This trade for Dotson is not a home run move, but a more than solid one. Dotson has two years of team control at a low salary cap number. He could prove to be a valuable contributor or end up being a miss by. However, the hope is that he settles into a middle ground of being solid; and with the trade compensation, that is more than enough.
Commanders: C
It’s good that the team got something in return for a player on the roster bubble. Overall, it’s a good trade for the Commanders, but this is factoring in the miss on Dotson, the prospect, himself. If you take that out of the equation, their grade would improve. The season is only two weeks away, and the Commanders still have to figure out their receiver depth chart after Terry McLaurin.
