At this time, one year ago, Washington Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson was a popular choice to be one of the NFL’s breakout players.
Did Dotson deliver? Not exactly. He caught 49 passes for 518 yards with four touchdowns. Dotson started all 17 games as Washington’s No. 2 receiver.
But it’s difficult to blame Dotson entirely. Almost everyone on the Commanders’ roster had a down year in a 4-13 season. The former coaching was let go, and last season’s offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, proved to be a poor fit in Washington.
Last season’s offense lacked a true identity. Bieniemy wanted to throw the ball 40 times per game but couldn’t protect the quarterback. Washington’s scheme was criticized, and Bieniemy refused to run the ball.
Bieniemy is gone, and Kliff Kingsbury is the Commanders’ new offensive coordinator. Washington also has a new quarterback: 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. The arrow is pointing up for the Commanders.
What should we expect from Dotson in 2024? The third-year wide receiver is excited about all of the organization’s changes this offseason. Could 2024 season actually be his breakout season?
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports named eight players facing a make-or-break year in 2024. He broke them down into four categories, with Dotson included in the “Players who dipped after playing well early and are now in a prove-it year” category.
Here’s what Trapasso said about Dotson:
As a rookie, playing opposite Terry McLaurin, who’s always seemingly on a cusp of being widely accepted as a superstar, Dotson caught 35 passes for 523 yards with a whopping seven touchdowns on under 55% of Washington’s offensive snaps. In his sophomore season in the nation’s capital, Dotson played more than 82% of the snaps and only saw a minor uptick in receptions (49) with fewer yards (508) and four scores.
Now, any young receiver should be exuding confidence after 11 touchdowns in his first two NFL campaigns. But Dotson was clearly less efficient as an offensive weapon in his second season.
Do I think the Commanders would automatically trade him if he doesn’t erupt in Year 3? No. But if he hovers around 45-50 snags with 500-ish yards and a few scores with Jayden Daniels throwing him the football in what truly marks a new era in franchise history, then he’s unlikely to be in the team’s long-term plans after the 2024 season.
Dotson’s numbers in 2023 were concerning. He had issues with drops at times, too. But there are clear indications he could blossom under new head coach Dan Quinn and Kingsbury.
Trapasso is correct that if Dotson posts similar numbers in 2024 with Daniels under center, it’s cause for concern. That means the Commanders would not pick up his fifth-year option for 2026. However, if Dotson delivers, he will not only have his option picked up but be included in Washington’s long-term plans.
A big year for Dotson, indeed.