Commanders fans can’t help but connect the Jahan Dotson trade to Brandon Aiyuk

The Washington Commanders are making moves!

No, not good moves. The Commanders sent Jahan Dotson and a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday in exchange for a third-round pick and two seventh-round picks. In short, Washington is jumping ship on their 2022 first-round selection for a marginal improvement in 2025 NFL Draft positioning.

Good stuff... for the Eagles, at least. New Commanders owner Josh Harris happens to own the Philadelphia 76ers as well, so it's a nice thought for Philly sports fans that he is still contributing in his own unique way to the city's championship pursuit. They have notes about his handling of the Sixers, but Washington has essentially gift-wrapped Cooper DeJean and Jahan Dotson for the Eagles in a single summer. Howie Roseman can't keep taking advantage of these lesser front offices. It feels wrong.

This move has been met with blustering unhappiness from the Commanders fandom. That is, unless you're of a more optimistic and imaginative disposition. There are some in the Washington fanbase who see this trade as a cog in a larger machine, a means to an end.

Yes, you've probably guessed it. Some folks think this is all setup for a Brandon Aiyuk trade.

Commanders conspiracists think Jahan Dotson trade signals Brandon Aiyuk's imminent arrival

The Commanders were once connected to Aiyuk, but those reports have since petered out. The current temperature check suggests that Aiyuk will either re-sign with the San Francisco 49ers or force his way to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It feels, judging from the latest buzz on the subject, like a two-horse race that does not involve the Commanders.

Of course, we can never say never in the NFL. Washington clearly needs upgrades in the WR room and Aiyuk would pair nicely, in theory, with rookie QB Jayden Daniels. Aiyuk and Daniels are friends going back to their shared time at Arizona State. Once upon a time, Aiyuk confessed to Daniels on TikTok that "[the 49ers] don't want me." It's not hard to work up a solidly believable conspiracy theory connecting Aiyuk to the Comms.

The rumors have been flying fast and furious in DC.

In addition to suspiciously sourced reports, the general theory has spread like wildfire. A solid chunk of the NFL fandom believes that by trading Dotson, Washington has taken the next step toward acquiring Aiyuk.

Should we put stock into these rumblings? Of course not. The Niners are known to want a playable WR back in exchange for Aiyuk. By trading Dotson, the Commanders are alarmingly shorthanded on in that department. Terry McLaurin is too good to trade. Dyami Brown isn't enough to get San Francisco on the phone.

It would've made far more sense to build an Aiyuk trade package around Dotson. The extra third-round pick is a nice asset, but the Niners pretty clearly won't offload Aiyuk for draft picks alone. They need somebody to fill Aiyuk's spot in the offense. Dotson would've been a worthwhile upside bet in the Kyle Shanahan offense. That could've actually worked. Now, though, the Commanders just don't have the necessary ammo.

So, with apologies to the Washington fandom, I must bear the bad news: this is not a step toward greatness. Rather, it's another shortsighted and inexplicable pivot from the new front office. There's still plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future with Jayden Daniels at the helm, but Dotson is a real talent. His absence will be deeply felt in such a lackluster WR room.