Many were surprised when, only two seasons after he was drafted with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders traded Jahan Dotson last summer — and to the Philadelphia Eagles of all teams.
He might have a win, but the Commanders won this move in no uncertain terms.
Dotson showed some impressive flashes as a rookie, catching 35 passes for 523 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. His production then leveled out in Year 2, as he received five fewer yards and three fewer touchdowns, albeit on 13 more catches.
One would think the Commanders' new front office would give him at least another year to prove himself under Dan Quinn's coaching staff. Adam Peters swapped him for a 2025 third-round pick and two seventh-round picks instead.
A year later, that's looking like an absolute theft.
The final verdict is in on Commanders' Jahan Dotson trade
For the Eagles, Dotson was lost in the shuffle as the No. 3 wide receiver option. The former Penn State star saw his numbers dip to 19 receptions for 216 receiving yards and no scores during the regular season.
In the playoffs, Dotson had an 11-yard touchdown in the Wild Card round against the Green Bay Packers and caught a 42-yard pass in Super Bowl LIX to help the Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs. But let's be real — Philadelphia was winning that title with or without his services.
The Eagles seem to agree that Dotson is expendable, as proven by their decision to decline his fifth-year option. This makes the wideout a free agent after the 2025 season. Around the same time, Washington's outcome of the trade was cemented.
That third-round pick the Commanders acquired for Dotson was used by the Houston Texans to select Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel. Why? Because earlier in the offseason, Washington had swapped in the pick as part of the blockbuster deal for five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
The Commanders didn't use either of the seventh-round picks involved in the Dotson trade. Pick No. 236 was also included in the Tunsil deal, though it was ultimately acquired by the Jacksonville Jaguars to select Syracuse running back LeQuint Allen. Pick No. 248 was used by the New Orleans Saints, who received it from Washington as part of the 2024 trade deadline deal for cornerback Marshon Lattimore.
Finally, the Commanders received a fourth-round pick from Houston in the Tunsil trade. They used it on speedy Virginia Tech receiver Jaylin Lane. For those keeping scores, Washington essentially traded Dotson for Tunsil, Lattimore, and a player with intriguing upside who could very well end up being just as good as Dotson — all while the 2022 first-round pick's time in Philadelphia already looks like it's coming to a close.
Take a bow, Peters.