Why the Falcons Are Betting Big on Former First-Round WR Jahan Dotson

FLOWERY BRANCH – Jahan Dotson is not afraid to bet on himself. Now entering year five, the new Atlanta Falcons wide receiver is confident he can still be the player he has always envisioned.

“I want to be one of the greats,” Dotson said Wednesday. “I’m not uncomfortable talking about those types of things. I want to be one of the best in the league. I want to show my talent.”

But showing that talent is something the 26-year-old wideout has not really been allowed to do, even though he is a former top-20 draft pick.

Dotson flashed potential playing alongside Terry McLaurin as a rookie (35 catches for 523 yards and seven touchdowns). He called it “a little splash,” but only because he was regularly buried on depth charts in the years after that.

With the Commanders, he was a top-three option. Despite fluctuating quarterback play, he still produced steady results, but Dotson was shipped off to Philadelphia before year three. There, with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Saquon Barkley ahead of him in the pecking order, he was never better than a fifth option for the Eagles.

It was a difficult dose of reality for Dotson, but one that he believes served him well in the long run.

There was a level of pressure he put on himself, having been a former first-round pick who had never quite lived up to the potential he saw in himself. Being traded after just two seasons forced him to confront that reality.

But it was with Brown and Smith that he learned he needed to change how he approached this game, and he was reminded that there was no need to put so much pressure on himself. He needed to stop chasing expectations and just play the game.

“Those are two great guys to be around, just because they kind of have an f-it mindset,” Dotson explained. “‘I’m just gonna go out here and ball,’ like, I know my capability, I know my talent, I know what I can do. I just need to go out here and ball.

“We’re playing a kid’s game, so we need to go out here and have fun, and do what we do.”

On top of his personal development, he learned what it takes to be a winner with the Eagles, taking home a pair of division titles and a Super Bowl ring in 2024.

That is something he wants to bring here to Atlanta.

His receiving numbers in Philadelphia (478 yards over two seasons) did not reflect the type of player the Falcons inked to a two-year, $15 million deal this offseason, but the team believes in what he can bring to the table.

“I see a lot of versatility from Jahan Dotson, he's a fast guy, he plays bigger than maybe the numbers say at times – and that goes back to his college tape,” passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand said last Tuesday. “We're just excited to continue to find out exactly what he really likes to do, what he excels at, and then continue to just put him in those positions as we continue to evolve and get the installation going.”

Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski echoed that praise of Dotson back in April during the Falcons’ voluntary workouts.

“[We’re] excited about his skill set,” he said. “I think he's a young man that has a lot in him. I think he's been productive with the opportunities that have come his way. He has real speed, real separation abilities.”

Those traits made Dotson a first-round pick. Atlanta believes they can finally make him a featured weapon.

Like Dotson has many times in his career, he will need to earn his way. Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts Sr. will all command their fair share of touches, but Dotson will get his clearest path to accomplishing his goal of being one of the greats.

What the Falcons lacked in 2025 was a player who could truly stretch the field, and Dotson can be that option for them this season. With the size of London and Pitts, and the all-world ability of Robinson underneath, Dotson could be that missing piece of the puzzle for this Atlanta offense.

When he first inked his deal with the Falcons, he did so because he saw the opportunity to make an impact and a place that believed in what he brought to the table. He had learned his lessons the hard way and is now looking to make an impact.

The Falcons are offering him that chance, but now comes the difficult part: proving them right.

“They're definitely giving me an opportunity to make a name for myself,” Dotson said, “and I'm going to take full advantage of it.

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