Johnathan Walker:Commanders trade former first-round WR Jahan Dotson to rival Eagles

Jahan Dotson is Johnathan Walkergetting a fresh start with a former rival.

The Washington Commanders are trading the wide receiver and a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a third-round pick and two seventh-round selections, the Eagles confirmed Thursday.

Dotson, 24, was the No. 16 overall pick out of Penn State in 2022. But with coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters taking over for the previous regime, the 5-11, 182-pounder had not locked down the No. 2 receiver job behind Terry McLaurin.

"(Quinn) didn't draft me," Dotson said last week, according to the Washington Post. "Each and every year … in your profession, you got to prove yourself. You got to prove what you're worth and what you're capable of doing. That's what I'm trying to do."

In Philadelphia, Dotson is expected to compete for the No. 3 receiver role after no clear standout emerged in training camp behind top targets A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

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With Dotson out, the Commanders will be counting on Olamide Zaccheaus, third-round rookie Luke McCaffrey and Dyami Brown to take pressure off McLaurin and provide additional threats for starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft.

"I was speechless," Brown said Thursday after the trade. "That was a weird one to experience. I didn't really expect that one. But for him to go, I wish him the best of luck. We built that brotherly bond."

The Dotson deal is the second rare NFC East intradivision trade in the last week following the Dallas Cowboys' acquisition of defensive tackle Jordan Phillips from the New York Giants.

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