If you’re looking for individual reasons the Washington Commanders have struggled in recent years, it’s not unfair to point to the failure of 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson to develop into even an average NFL wide receiver.
Dotson landed on a list of Commanders who have intrigued the team’s new coaching staff this spring from ESPN’s John Keim, and the third-year player out of Penn State didn’t hesitate to point the finger at himself as his career heads into a pivotal phase.
“I wasn’t a fan of my season last year, so I went really hard this off season making sure that I’m a lot better,” Dotson told ESPN. “Last year I just didn’t feel like myself, but I’m starting to feel like I’m getting my swagger back a little bit.”
Except it wasn’t just last year that Dotson struggled.
He missed five games as a rookie in 2022 and finished with 35 receptions for 523 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns in 12 games. Dotson played all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023 but his stats got worse with 49 receptions for 518 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns.
He also had arguably the worst hands of any wide receiver in the NFL, leading the league in drop percentage. The Commanders have a 12-21-1 record since he joined the team.
“In 2022, Dotson gained 20 or more yards on 28.6% of his catches. Last year that percentage plummeted to 10.2,” Keim wrote. “His average air yards per target was 14.35 as a rookie compared to 9.25 last season … Also, he has an NFL-high 7.0 pass drop percentage in his first two seasons combined.
Why Has Dotson Struggled So Much?
Keim wrote that Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin and wide receivers coach Bobby Engram both emphasized that Dotson’s struggles have gone back to how he uses his hands off the line of scrimmage. When Dotson plays against press coverage, he hasn’t been effective. That goes back to strength.
The Commanders are in desperate need of a legit second wide receiver option beyond McLaurin, who has four consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. The writing is on the wall for Dotson after Washington selected Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey in the third round (No. 100 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.
McCaffrey (6-foot-2, 198 pounds) is bigger than Dotson (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) and just as fast. Dotson ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL combine. McCaffrey ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the 2024 NFL combine.
Pivotal Year for Dotson’s NFL Career
The Commanders have shown their willingness to pay for an elite wide receiver, granting McLaurin a 3-year, $71 million contract extension in June 2022.
The Commanders will have to make a decision on picking up Dotson’s fifth-year extension after this season — something that won’t happen if he puts up numbers similar to what he’s done the last two seasons.
Of the six wide receivers taken in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, Dotson’s career totals are only ahead of Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, who has missed 16 games due to injuries and suspension and Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Brooks, who has missed 13 games due to injuries.
