The Washington Commanders executed a rare inter-divisional trade, sending Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. While there were several winners and losers from the trade involving the two NFC East rivals, the Commanders may not be done addressing the receiver position. Let’s look at six receivers the Commanders could immediately replace Dotson with.
Sign Michael Thomas
There was a time when Michael Thomas was the best receiver in the NFL. Those days are gone, which is why he’s still a free agent. Yet, the two-time All-Pro should still have something left in the tank as a 31-year-old. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound receiver is still a massive target who could develop into one of Jayden Daniels’ best friends. Thomas hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2019, but he still averaged a respectable 44.8 yards per game last year. Considering the Commanders have an unproven receiving corps, Thomas may still be able to help this team.
Related: NFL QB Rankings 2024: Where does Jayden Daniels rank?
Sign Hunter Renfrow
At 5-foot-10, Hunter Renfrow isn’t an option to be a starting receiver on the outside. However, he could quickly become the best slot option in Washington. The one-time Pro Bowl receiver struggled over the past two seasons while Davante Adams emerged as the new No. 1 target in town. Falling victim to ineffective quarterback play didn’t help either. But he’s just two years removed from a 1,038-yard season and is still just 28. He’s worth taking a flier on.
Related: Where does the new-look Washington Commanders offense rank today?
Sign JuJu Smith-Schuster
Though he recently became a free agent, JuJu Smith-Schuster could be a natural replacement for Dotson. He has experience playing in multiple schemes and has thrived in both Pittsburgh and Kansas City. Schuster’s never been able to reproduce his 1,400-yard Pro Bowl season from 2018, but he did have a 933-yard season with the Chiefs in 2022, winning a Super Bowl. He couldn’t find success in New England, but name a receiver who did. Schuster could likely be better when he’s not stuck on the second-worst offense in the NFL, catching passes from Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. A chance to play with Jayden Daniels could lead to a more productive outcome for the 6-foot-1, 2015-pound wideout.
Related: Predicting NFL playoff teams and Super Bowl 2025 winner
Trade for John Metchie III
A year ago, the Houston Texans had an unproven receiving corps. Now that Nico Collins and Tank Dell have emerged as stars, plus the arrival of Stefon Diggs, John Metchie finds himself buried on the depth chart. But Metchie’s a 24-year-old former second-round pick who missed his entire rookie season while battling leukemia. He hasn’t gotten his chance to thrive yet, but that could change in Washington.
Related: Where do the Washington Commanders in Sportsnaut’s NFL Defense Rankings?
Trade for Amari Cooper
To be fair, Amari Cooper probably isn’t available. He’s the WR1 on a Cleveland Browns team that hopes to contend. But hearing his name linked to a Brandon Aiyuk trade could cause turmoil. It’s possible Cooper is more available than we think. If so, the Commanders shouldn’t hesitate to see if he has a bigger chip on his shoulder after their NFC East rivals traded him to Cleveland in 2022.
Trade for Brandon Aiyuk
The biggest kahuna of all, Brandon Aiyuk has expressed an interest in reuniting with his college QB Jayden Daniels. He hasn’t agreed to a contract extension in San Francisco, and he’s rejected other trades to teams who don’t have a proven QB situation. But getting the chance to form a dangerous duo in Washington alongside Terry McLaurin could be just what Aiyuk is waiting for.
Related: Worst NFL trades ever, including Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns