If it weren’t for the 2024 postseason, it’s fair to ask the question as to whether or not Jahan Dotson might still even be in the NFL.
Fortunately for Dotson, his time with the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2024 postseason on the way to winning the Super Bowl still remains fresh in some minds and landed him a 2-year, $15 million free-agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons in March.
On paper, Dotson, a 2022 1st round pick by the Washington Commanders, seems like a fringe roster player or practice squad candidate. That’s why ESPN’s Bill Barnwell singled out his contract as Atlanta’s worst move of the offseason.
“It wasn’t necessarily a surprise to see the new Falcons regime move on from Darnell Mooney after an injury-hit 2025 season, but I’m not enthused about how they chose to replace him,” Barnwell wrote. ” … third-round pick Zachariah Branch fits as a slot receiver and return man. Dotson might also be best in that same slot role, and I think the Falcons are still paying for his profile as a former first-round pick as opposed to his actual play as a pro. Over four years in the NFC East, Dotson averaged 0.9 yards per route run, which ranks 79th out of the 80 wide receivers who have run at least 1,000 routes over the past four seasons.
“You can chalk that up to the presence of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in the lineup alongside Dotson over the past two seasons, but being able to command targets by getting open is a skill. Dotson wasn’t able to do that in Washington or Philadelphia. There’s a point where taking a flier on Dotson makes sense, but it’s not the $10 million guaranteed mark the Falcons hit this offseason.”
Eagles Made Throwaway Trade for Dotson in 2024
The Eagles gave up more than you might think for Dotson before the 2024 season, swapping a 2025 3rd round pick for Dotson and a 2025 5th round pick.
You can make an argument Dotson’s return on investment far exceeded whatever the Eagles gave up for him in their run to a Super Bowl win that season alone — and just in the postseason.
“In the summer of 2024, Howie Roseman traded a 3rd round pick for Jahan Dotson to solidify the WR3 spot,” Fly Eagles Fly Bets wrote on its official X account in February. “Two years later, Dotson finished with a total of 37 catches for 478 yards and a touchdown, plus a solid playoff run on the way to a Super Bowl. From that perspective alone, the trade paid off.”
Jahan Dotson Playoff Hero in Run to Super Bowl Win
Dotson seemed to suddenly have a knack for making huge plays once he hit the postseason for the first time in his career, beginning with a touchdown catch in the playoff opener against the Green Bay Packers in 2024.
He capped that run with another clutch performance in the Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
Dotson finished the Super Bowl with 2 receptions for 42 yards, including a diving, 28-yard catch in the first quarter that was initially ruled a touchdown but, after being overturned, was what set up the Eagles’ first touchdown on a 1-yard run from eventual Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts.
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