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The Washington Commanders hoped they were getting an elite wide receiver when they used a first-round pick to draft Jahan Dotson in 2022, but things haven’t worked out that way. So would they ditch Dotson so soon? Perhaps if it meant acquiring Minnesota Vikings’ All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson in trade.
Using Dotson as the headline name in a bumper trade package for Jefferson is an idea put forward by Andrew Harbaugh of Vikings Wire. He has the Commanders send “First and second-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, second and fourth-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and WR Jahan Dotson” to Minnesota.
That’s a significant trade haul, even though the Vikings have been open to dealing Jefferson. They considered a trade before the 2024 NFL draft, according to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Their incentive for doing a deal stems from avoiding having to pay Jefferson a potentially record-breaking contract to keep him away from free agency in 2025. The Commanders wouldn’t fear the same prospect when they have $42,729,698 worth of space under the salary cap, per Spotrac.com.
Putting Dotson alongside premium future draft picks would help the Commanders strike the right balance to tempt the Vikings into revisiting parting ways with Jefferson.
Jahan Dotson Still Has a Lot to Prove
Dotson would be a decent get for the Vikings, provided the Commanders no longer care to wait for the former Penn State star to reach his full potential. The player selected 16th overall two years ago has produced only modest statistics and had trouble holding onto the ball.
The Dotson stat line is a modest 93 catches for 1,170 yards since entering the pros. Dotson has also dropped 11 passes, while Commanders’ quarterbacks have been intercepted as many times when targeting the 24-year-old, per Pro Football Reference.
It’s little wonder Dotson is under pressure to prove himself during his third season. His chances will be strong if he forms a rapport with No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels, the rookie passer Dotson wanted Washington to draft.
Fortunately, Daniels and Dotson have already been building chemistry, based on work like this from OTAs.
Dotson has breakout potential with Daniels throwing passes in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s more expansive scheme. That’s potential worth gambling on, but Jefferson would offer more of a guarantee as a legitimate No. 1 receiver.
Justin Jefferson Deal Would Transform Commanders
The Commanders drafted Daniels to be a transformative, franchise QB1, but he needs a franchise receiver. Veteran Terry McLaurin qualifies, but even the four-time 1,000-yard receiver can’t compare to Jefferson at his best.
Jefferson possesses game-changing speed to outrun even double coverage. The way he did for this touchdown against the Detroit Lions in Week 16, illustrated by Next Gen Stats.
He can manufacture big plays at a prolific rate, but Jefferson isn’t just a boom-or-bust playmaker for his quarterbacks. He’s also a QB-friendly target who can help create easy throws in clutch situations.
That’s what Jefferson did when he kept six-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay at arms length long enough to convert this third down against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. The separation Jefferson gained was highlighted by Amazon Prime and Next Gen Stats.
Combining sudden-strike scoring capability with being able to move the chains in key moments is what makes great receivers and great quarterbacks. Pairing Jefferson with Daniels would give the Commanders a partnership opposing teams fear.
Something that’s worth parting with Dotson and giving away four premium picks.
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