3 realistic expectations for Jahan Dotson’s rookie season

1. Leapfrog Curtis Samuel on Depth Chart

The Commanders are very pleased with Samuel’s physical well-being after his injury-plagued 2021. Every time Ron Rivera or Martin Mayhew have been approached about Samuel’s status, they’ve oozed confidence, hinting that the 25-year-old receiver should be all systems go this offseason.

The hope is Samuel will emerge as the No. 2 behind Terry McLaurin, but it’ll be interesting to see how the pecking order unfolds.

While a $34.5 million receiver should be able to handle secondary duties, the same can be said for the No. 16 overall pick in the draft, so Dotson certainly faces pressure to perform as a rookie. That’s not to say fans should expect the world, but supplanting Samuel as WR2 would qualify as a successful first year.

In that scenario, Washington will have justified taking Dotson that early. Even if Samuel has a bounce-back season for the ages, the Penn State grad just needs to solidify himself as a reliable outlet for Carson Wentz.

If that means his numbers don’t jump off the screen, then so be it. After all, stats don’t always paint a full picture. If his rookie year ends and we’re left convinced he’s a foundational piece of the offense, what more could you ask for?