After a promising start to his career, the Washington Commanders could cut former first-round pick Jahan Dotson after just two seasons. The 16th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft started his career by recording 35 receptions for 523 yards and seven touchdowns on 61 targets as a rookie. However, he couldn’t build on that in 2024, finishing the year with 49 receptions for 518 yards and four touchdowns on one of the most pass-happy teams in football.
With Ron Rivera gone and Dan Quinn now calling the shots, Jahan Dotson needs to prove that he has a future with the team. So far, he hasn’t done that, as Gregg Rosenthal of the NFL Daily podcast recently said that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Commanders cut Jahan Dotson. In the same thread, he and ESPN’s Mina Kines discussed possible landing spots, with the Chargers and Saints named the two most likely destinations.
Chargers, Saints, Could Land Jahan Dotson If Cut
Even if Jahan Dotson never builds on his rookie year, the cut candidate will still be considerably better than most of the receivers on the Chargers depth chart. Los Angeles parted ways with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams but never found true replacements for either player. While second-round pick Ladd McConkey has promise, 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston continues to look like a bust while the rest of the depth chart is comprised of journeymen and unremarkable rookies.
Justin Herbert is one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, but he cannot carry the offense all by himself. Even if he could, he probably won’t be at his best in 2024. The quarterback suffered a plantar fascia injury earlier in camp, and while he should be ready to go for Week 1, ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes he’ll battle pain throughout the season. Herbert could use as much help as possible, and Dotson could be the answer. Maybe the cut candidate plays like a first-round pick, but even if he doesn’t, the version of Jahan Dotson we’ve seen to date is still good enough to be the first or second option in this offense.
Saints Need Help
The New Orleans Saints need everything to go right if they want to make the playoffs for the first time in the post-Brees Era. So far, just about everything has gone wrong. Ryan Ramcyzk won’t play this year, first-round pick Taliese Fuaga injured his back, the offensive line is in ruins, and Rashid Shaheed is dealing with a foot injury. Right now, this offense is Derek Carr and Chris Olave against the world, and the world will win if that’s how they enter the season. Regardless of the severity of Shaheed’s injury, New Orleans could use someone like Jahan Dotson to make life a little easier for Carr.
It’s too late in the offseason for New Orleans to rebuild their offensive line. This unit will be bad no matter what, but the Saints could mitigate its importance by loading up on reliable pass catchers. Dotson can get open early, which means Carr won’t have to hold onto the ball as long. Nobody should expect Jahan Dotson to transform into peak Michael Thomas, but the cut candidate could be a nice complementary player in this offense.
Main Photo: Geoff Burke – USA Today Sports
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