Birds Land First-Round WR

The Eagles took a big step toward addressing their glaring wide receiver depth issue Thursday, making a rare intra-division trade with Washington to acquire wideout Jahan Dotson, a 2022 first-round pick.

The Eagles sent to Washington a 2025 third-round pick and two seventh-rounders in exchange for Dotson, a former Penn State star who was drafted by the Commanders 16th overall, and a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft.

Dotson, who underwhelmed in two seasons with just 84 total catches, 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns, immediately becomes the Eagles’ top outside backup to Pro Bowl wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and likeliest receiver to play the slot role in formations involving three or more receivers.

The 5-foot-11, 182-pound Dotson has far more experience than several other candidates for the Eagles’ No. 3 receiver job, which included two rookies – fifth-rounder Ainias Smith and sixth-rounder Johnny Wilson – along with third-year pro Britain Covey, a punt returner who has played just 77 career offensive snaps and has just four receptions.

Dotson’s additional also jeopardizes the chances of veteran free-agent signings Parris Campbell and John Ross of making the 53-man roster, neither of which is likely to make the team.

He comes at low cost, as he enters the third year of a four-year rookie deal with a fifth-year option. Dotson’s base salary in 2024 is about $1.6 million. The Eagles won’t have to decide on his fifth-year option until after this season.

Dotson apparently fell out of favor in Washington’s new offensive scheme, which is presided over by new coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, the former Cardinals head coach who’s known to prefer an aerial attack offense.

In the offseason, the Commanders signed former Eagles versatile receiver Olamide Zaccheaus and used a third-round pick on former Rice standout Luke McCaffrey, the brother of 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. Luke’s body type and skill-set was viewed as ideal for the slot.

At first, Dotson’s career in Washington appeared promising as the Newark, N.J., native caught three total touchdowns in the first two games of his career and four in the first four but he only caught three touchdowns the rest of his rookie season and totaled just one game above 100 yards receiving.

Last year, Dotson’s first touchdown came against the Eagles in Week 4 – a 10-yard catch as time expired to help tie the game and force overtime, a game the Eagles won 34-31 on Jake Elliott’s 54-yard field goal.

But Dotson only logged one game last year of more than five catches and more than 100 yards in Eric Bieniemy’s pass-happy offense.

Dotson, who attended Nazareth [Pa.] High School in the Lehigh Valley, was a teammate at Penn Sate of Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.

Dotson ranks second in Nittany Lions history in both career  receptions (183) and single-season (91, in 2021) receptions, fourth in career receiving yards (2,757), second in single-season receiving yards (1,182, in 2021), and second in both career touchdowns (25) and single-season (12, in 2021) touchdowns.

– Geoff Mosher (@geoffmoshernfl) is co-host of the “Inside the Birds” podcast and staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.