The Chicago Bears will be looking to add some playmakers on offense next offseason, particularly with wide receiver Darnell Mooney likely headed toward free agency.
One player with several appealing qualities the Bears could look into is Washington Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson. Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey put together a hypothetical trade in which the Bears would send a Day 3 pick to Washington next offseason in exchange for Dotson, which would be a potential steal.
“Chicago needs one or two more explosive playmakers on offense to support whomever starts at quarterback in 2024,” Tansey wrote on December 13.
“The Bears will not be in the market for a No. 1 wide receiver or tight end since they have that in place with D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet. They need to find supporting pieces, potentially on the trade market, and Jahan Dotson fits that mold.”
WRs DJ Moore & Jahan Dotson Would Give Bears Scary Combo
As Tansey noted, the Bears have a significant decision to make at the quarterback position between now and next offseason. They can either stick with current starter Justin Fields, or use one of their first two first-round picks in the draft to nab a potential franchise QB.
No matter what they decide, Dotson would make a solid, low-risk addition for a team that already has playmakers in Moore and Kmet. “Chicago could use Dotson’s explosiveness down the field to complement Moore and Kmet in the passing game,” Tansey noted, adding:
“The Bears may not be willing to part ways with any of their draft picks, but they could send a Day 3 pick to Washington to make an acquisition that helps their roster and allows the Commanders more draft flexibility in their rebuilding process.”
A fifth-rounder in exchange for a promising young wide receiver still on his rookie deal would be a no-brainer for Bears general manager Ryan Poles. Regardless of what the Commanders might be asking in return for Dotson, it would benefit Poles and the Bears to pick up the phone and inquire.
A Look at Jahan Dotson’s Stats So Far
The Commanders selected Dotson with the 16th overall pick out of Penn State in 2022. Thus, he still has two more years of his rookie contract remaining, along with the possibility for the franchise tag after that. He has a cap hit of over $4 million next season and over 5 million in 2025, according to Spotrac.
His numbers over his first two years in the league aren’t awe-inspiring, but he has showed potential and to grow into a solid No.2 behind Moore.
In 12 games (10 starts) as a rookie last year, Dotson hauled in 35 passes for 523 yards (14.9 yards per reception) and seven touchdowns. Dotson hasn’t formed too strong of a connection with Washington quarterback Sam Howell this season, but he’s still putting up solid numbers.
So far, through 13 games (12 starts), the Commanders WR has 44 catches for 458 yards (10.4 yards per catch) and four scores. He has one 100-yard receiving game this year, and he had one all of last year.
Dotson is still young (he turns 24 in March of 2024), and while he doesn’t tend to have tons of huge games, he’s speedy, and he has big-play ability. That, coupled with his affordability, make him an intriguing player for Chicago to keep its eye on.
