Dotson entered the league with promise, dealing with injuries as a rookie with the Washington Commanders but showing off a nose for the end zone with seven touchdowns and hauling in 35 receptions for 523 yards over 12 contests. The TDs and yards, however, still stand as career highs. He spent just one more year in Washington and never found a groove as the team churned through quarterbacks. Dotson had 518 yards and four scores on 49 catches in 2023, then was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles amid a 2024 preseason in which he fell down the Commanders’ WR pecking order.
Dotson started off buried behind superstar duo A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in Philly and never dug his way out. Over the last two seasons, Brown and Smith combined for 420 targets, 290 catches, 3,923 yards and 26 TDs. Dotson finished third among the the Eagles’ wide receivers in targets both years, but it amounted to 37 receptions for 478 yards and a score on 69 looks.
The Falcons offer renewed hope for Dotson that he can carve out a crucial role.
Atlanta’s offense will still run heavily through running back Bijan Robinson, tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London, but the depth chart at wideout behind London is wide open.
Dotson’s most notable competition for targets after the club’s big three is fellow free-agent signee Olamide Zaccheaus and third-round rookie Zachariah Branch, both of whom fit naturally in the slot, which means Dotson could cement himself on the boundary opposite London with a good training camp.
“They brought me here to show people what I can do,” Dotson said of the Falcons brass. “I feel like I have been holding all this in the last couple of years. I’m ready to show the world what I can do. Coach (Kevin) Stefanski is giving me the opportunity, and I can’t wait to take it.”
Just how confident is Dotson that he can reach new heights with Atlanta?
He’s setting his sights at the very top of the NFL’s WR totem pole.
“I want to be one of the greatest,” Dotson said. “I’m not afraid (of saying that). I was talking to Jessie Bates, and he was talking about wanting to be the best who ever played, and I’m comfortable with those sort of things. I want to be one of the best in the league. I want to show my talent.”
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