Pressure mounting on Commanders reject as redemption story turns heads

The Washington Commanders did extremely well to get such a good return for wide receiver Jahan Dotson. He won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, but that's where the positivity ended during his first season with the bitter division rivals.

And the signs coming from Philadelphia's training camp already put Dotson under pressure to match fire with fire.

Big things were expected of Dotson after the Commanders took him at No. 16 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. They wanted him to become a legitimate No. 2 receiver opposite Terry McLaurin, but it never materialized.

Dotson always flashed promise, but he never found the consistency needed. Adam Peters and Dan Quinn concluded pretty quickly that he wasn't going to be part of the team's plans moving forward. They extracted the maximum value at the right time, and Philadelphia was only too happy to take him.

Former Commanders WR Jahan Dotson is under pressure entering Year 2 with the Eagles

The Eagles didn't pick up Dotson's fifth-year option this offseason, which was a no-brainer. Reports around the wideout were encouraging over early workouts, but recent revelations from fellow wide receiver A.J. Brown raise the stakes in no uncertain terms.

Brown was impressed by the way Terrace Marshall Jr. has applied himself since joining the team. The wideout believes he's going to make things uncomfortable for others in the room, which places Dotson's status firmly under the microscope.

He’s coming along quite well, honestly. Even in the spring, he was making a lot of catches. I know you guys didn’t see it, but he’s going to make the room very uncomfortable, and that’s a great thing.A.J. Brown via USA Today

Dotson might be feeling the heat in more ways than one. He's fighting for a new deal. But if Marshall — another highly-touted draft flop with the Carolina Panthers — continues to force the issue, that could eat into the Penn State product's involvement for good measure.

This should be a challenge Dotson relishes. He's currently slotted as the No. 3 option behind Brown and DeVonta Smith. That's his to lose right now, but Marshall could push him every step of the way if his teammate's comments are any indication.

That's of no concern to the Commanders, who were right to go in a different direction. They have a strong wideout group going into the 2025 campaign following the additions of Deebo Samuel Sr., Jaylin Lane, and Michael Gallup. However, the lingering cloud of McLaurin's holdout continues to be a distraction this ambitious franchise doesn't need.

As for Dotson? His future looks murkier than ever. And it's going to take a huge effort to turn the tide.

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