In this day and age, it is strange for established starters – or even established rotation players on your roster – to play more than a series in the opening preseason game. So when Jahan Dotson, a first-round draft pick from two years ago, played the most snaps out of every wide receiver on the Commanders roster in Saturday's game against the New York Jets, questions were raised about the state of Washington's WR corps.
"Yeah, I think we're right in the middle of that competition at receiver and trying to find out slot and inside and outside, so moving guys into different locations," head coach Dan Quinn said on Monday when asked about Dotson's playing time. "That's a big piece of it and you'll see more of that this week as well with him and with some of the other receivers.
"We're really digging into that group and it's a really competitive group to push it, so you'll see more of that same with his reps increased again this week."
Dotson had two catches for 13 yards on three targets in Washington's 20-17 defeat at the Meadowlands. He did so while playing 32 snaps, the most out of any skill position player for the Commanders. (Compare that to 11 for Terry McLaurin and 11 total for Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler.)
The day after Quinn's answer, Washington signed another receiver: Martavis Bryant, who was on the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad for a part of last season after spending several years out of the league. Bryant, 32, last played a snap in the NFL during the 2018 season with the Oakland Raiders.
"What's going on at wide receiver?" Kevin Sheehan asked. "What's going on with Jahan Dotson?"
To Sheehan, it is notable that Dotson was on the field for multiple drives and worked with four different quarterbacks. "He was on the field for nearly three times the number of snaps to the guys that we assume to be starter and/or major contributors in the [regular season] opener were," he said.
"Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply or to say Dotson shouldn't be competing, I want everybody to compete," Sheehan continued. "Terry McLaurin, obviously, doesn't have to compete for anything he is the No. 1 wide receiver on this team. Dyami Brown, I think, as of now, subject to change it's early, played 19 snaps, 13 less than Jahan Dotson. I think it's clear that he's the No. 2 in the minds of the coaching staff in terms of receivers."
Quinn said that Dotson is competing for something, Sheehan doesn't believe it's "a spot on the roster," but "he's competing to be a part of the rotation that gets you on the field and gets you into a position where you're a targeted receiver, say, in the top three."
In Sheehan's mind right now, if the Commanders had to play Week 1 tomorrow, it would be McLaurin and Brown starting outside and Olamide Zaccheaus in the slot. "Something is going on with the way they feel about Jahan Dotson," he said.
"They're trying to figure it out at wide receiver, let's not kid ourselves," Sheehan said. "... Something's going on at wide receiver, not exactly sure what it is. But somethings going on."