Ugly Rebuilding Truth Revealed in Latest Commanders Trade

In any organization that goes through a revamp of head coach and general manager, there are players past members of the team may have been high on, but the new regime isn't.

That's what happened with the Washington Commanders and former first-round wide receiver Jahan Dotson.

Dotson was seen as an ascending player out of Penn State after a strong rookie season. While his sophomore year seemingly took a step back for a number of different reasons, the fact he is still on a rookie deal only helped his chances to remain in the Nation's Capital.

Until Thursday.

Dotson, after a slow training camp, was traded by the Commanders to the Philadelphia Eagles for multiple picks including a 2025 third-round pick.

While most teams would opt to keep Dotson for a third season (how many receivers have been respectable in their first two years like this?), the Commanders are under new management.

And they unveiled the ugly truth about rebuilds in the NFL.

Certain organizations have different expectations for players in their organization. While a team like the New York Jets opt for bigger offensive linemen who run power sets, the Eagles prefer smaller but quicker players overall.

That's essentially what happened to Dotson in the new offense that Washington is looking to run.

Related: Commanders Trade Receiver Jahan Dotson to NFC East Rival

It doesn't mean Dotson is a bad player, but that the management in the Nation's Capital is looking for players who fit their system better.

And it turns out they aren't willing to wait too long to see if the Penn State star will grow into it.