PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley has known Jahan Dotson for a while. Not only was Barkley following Dotson during his days making unbelievable catches at Penn State, but the two also come from the Allentown region.
The connection between Barkley and Dotson are close. Ask Barkley his thoughts about Dotson as a football player and there will be an utmost vote of confidence.
That confidence has been waned with Dotson over the past year, making Dotson’s fresh start with the Philadelphia Eagles the change he needed. It certainly helps that Dotson has Barkley to look up to.
“I talked to him right after, literally like an hour after I got traded,” Dotson said after Saturday’s preseason finale. “He told me just to keep my head up and come here and work.
“That’s all we’re trying to do here is win games. We have a great thing going here. Great coaching staff, great locker room. So just come in, put your head down and work, and let’s get to winning games.”
Dotson has had a rough go regarding his playing career of late. In his final five games with the Washington Commanders, Dotson had just seven catches for 83 yards with zero touchdowns. Erratic quarterback play in Washington led to Dotson falling out of favor over the past year, but he had an opportunity to hit the reset button with new head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
Instead, Dotson was getting beaten out in camp by the likes of Dyami Brown, rookie Luke McCaffrey, and Olamide Zaccheaus. The Commanders never appeared poised to cut a player who was a first-round pick just two years ago, but Dotson was buried on the depth chart.
“They told me they think very highly of me. It was kind of just something that happens,” Dotson said. “These things happen all the time in the NFL, you know? So I didn’t, I’m not going to take it personal until I see Washington, but you know, it’s exciting.”
Dotson won’t be asked to be the second wide receiver in Philadelphia. The Eagles have A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith as the focal points of the passing game. As the third wide receiver, Dotson will be asked to take the pressure off Brown and Smith as another option in an already loaded Eagles offense.
“We have a lot of weapons, and I look at that as a great thing,” Dotson said. “You know, we have a lot of people who can make a lot of plays, so it’s going to be fun.
“I’ve never, in all of my years of playing, been on a team with this much talent. I’m not only excited to play with them, I’m excited to learn, because we have a lot of great guys in the locker room from top to bottom. So I’m really excited for the opportunity.”
Having Barkley around will certainly help Dotson acclimate with Philadelphia. Dotson also worked out with A.J. Brown in the offseason, another familiar face to make the transition easier.
The Eagles appear to be the right fit for Dotson, the change he needed to turn his career around.
“Being out here today and being on the field and kind of taking the field and taking it all in a little bit, I’m very excited,” Dotson said. “It got me like, I got goosebumps, leaving the field today, just because Philly growing up only an hour, hour and a half away from here, you understand the passion.
“You understand how much people care about the Eagles. Seeing the fans go crazy, literally after a third preseason game, it was exciting. It got me a little excited to be here.”
