No team has tried more diligently to add wide receiver help during the offseason than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Early in free agency, Omar Khan and the front office signed veteran receivers Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins before taking Roman Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft and signing Scotty Miller in free agency.
From there, the Steelers diligently tried to land Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers reportedly had a deal in place that would send the 2020 first-round pick to Pittsburgh, but San Francisco GM John Lynch didn't pull the trigger.
Despite their desperate need at the wide receiver position, the Steelers let a perfect opportunity pass them by.
On August 22, we learned that Jahan Dotson had been traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Dotson was a first-round pick by the Commanders in the 2022 NFL Draft. In his first two seasons, Dotson put up over 500 receiving yards each year while combining for 11 touchdowns in his first 29 NFL games.
We have agreed to terms on a trade with Washington Commanders for WR Jahan Dotson and a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft in exchange for a third-round pick and two seventh-rounds picks from the 2025 draft. pic.twitter.com/slf7qTD0An
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 22, 2024
While Dotson hasn't been the most efficient receiver, the speedy wideout had a chance to hit the reset button with a new quarterback and coaching staff this year. Instead, the Commanders elected to trade him within the division to one of their biggest rivals.
In exchange for Dotson and a fifth-round pick, the Eagles are sending a future third-round pick and two future seventh-round picks to Washington. This pick-swap deal is a small price to pay for a talented player with two years left on his rookie deal (plus a fifth-year option).
Steelers should have inquired about a trade for Jahan Dotson
Though Dotson hasn't lived up to lofty expectations as a former 16th overall pick, he still offers speed and quickness at the wide receiver position. Pittsburgh was no doubt familiar with the Penn State product during his college days.
If they knew about his availability, the biggest holdup for the Steelers may have been his fit with the team. At 5'10 5/8'' and 178 pounds, Dotson is in the mold of what they already have in players like Roman Wilson, Calvin Austin III, and Scotty Miller.
Even so, Doton would have been more proven than most receiving options on the team while offering an enticing blend of skill and upside at the position. Dotson also possesses ideal inside-out versatility as a receiver, with over 550 of his snaps in 2023 coming out wide and over 350 from the slot.
If the Eagles can get the most out of Dotson, it will look like a squandered opportunity by Omar Khan and the front office. The price was right for the Pittsburgh Steelers to take a stab at a talented first-round wide receiver, but they missed out.