Commanders fleeced Howie Roseman and the Eagles are still paying for it

Howie Roseman has gained a fierce reputation around the league for making daring trades, preying on struggling clubs for deals he believes represent steals. It paid off handsomely in 2024 as the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl. Things did not go nearly as well last time around.

For one major transaction between Roseman and Adam Peters, it fell firmly in the Washington Commanders' favor. And they're going to be paying for it even when the player in question isn't even under contract in 2026.

It didn't take long to realize that Jahan Dotson wouldn't be part of Washington's plans under the new regime. The wide receiver couldn't firmly establish himself, and he didn't look like a great scheme fit under offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Peters recognized this quickly, and he decided to maximize the player's value on the trade market.

Commanders still getting their laughs even as John Dotson's contract expires

Divisional trades are rare. Peters thought doing a deal with Roseman was the best offer, and he took it. The general manager also knew that Dotson may not ever live up to his first-round hype, so he didn't mind him staying in the NFC East.

The Commanders sent Dotson and a fifth-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a third-rounder and two seventh-round selections. The former Penn State star wasn't exactly shocked, but he couldn't firmly secure a prominent role for himself in Philadelphia.

Despite getting a ring, Dotson was way down the pecking order in Philadelphia's wideout room. In two years, he brought in just 37 receptions from 69 targets for 478 receiving yards and one touchdown. His route success percentage plummeted to 38.9 — a career low — last season. He logged just 2.8 yards after the catch, which all but confirms the Eagles won't bring him back in free agency.

To make matters worse for Roseman, Dotson has a voided year on his deal, which is now added to Philadelphia's cap figure. It's only $1.3 million, but for a team with $73.8 million in dead money, every cent matters.

Not every move has paid off for Peters since becoming the Commanders' front-office leader. However, his decision to trade Dotson, even amid intrigue about his future, represented a masterstroke in no uncertain terms.

What the future holds for Dotson remains to be seen. He's entering free agency with questions to answer, but he's still young enough to get another opportunity somewhere. At the same time, expecting to walk onto a roster might not be as clear-cut this offseason.

The Commanders won this trade. And the fact that it came at the expense of the Eagles makes it even sweeter.