Eagles schedule: Ranking expected matchups for James Bradberry

The Eagles get two looks at Jahan Dotson, in Week 3 and Week 10.

Typically, we’d state it’s disrespectful to slot a rookie that’s never played in the NFL ahead of a veteran that’s already proven he can succeed in the league, even if we’ve only watched that veteran play for one season like Amon-Ra St. Brown. We’re going to make an exception here, and we’re going to do so for two reasons.

First, despite his flaws, and there are many, we still see Carson Wentz as being a better quarterback than Jared Goff. Second, rookie Jahan Dotson enters a better situation than anyone playing wide receiver for the Detroit Lions.

At five-foot-eleven and 194 pounds, Dotson has the words ‘slot receiver’ written all over him, but the same can be said for the five-foot-eleven, 195-pound Curtis Samuel. For the sake of argument, let’s assume the Washington Commanders go the route of lining Dotson up on the outside, and Samuel gets slot duty. Regardless of where you stand in that argument, both have an advantage that St. Brown won’t, and it’s a big one.

They get to team up with one of the best wide receivers in the world, Terry McLaurin.

If you’re a fan of matchups, Big Play Slay versus McLaurin will be must-see television. That will also be the case in this Bradberry/Dotson battle.

We’re familiar with Jahan’s collegiate resume following a four-year, 42-game run with the Penn State Nittany Lions (183 receptions, 2,757 receiving yards, and 25 receiving touchdowns), but by the time Philly gets their first taste of him early during a road game in Week 3, they would have only had two weeks worth of game tape to study. If that isn’t enough, they get the Commanders again in Week 10.

Washington always gives the Eagles trouble. We expect them to be even more of a handful with Wentz, McLaurin, Samuel, Dotson, and Antonio Gibson running around.