'I feel extremely comfortable': Jahan Dotson ready if Eagles don't have AJ Brown – NBC Sports Philadelphia

The last time we saw Jahan Dotson in October, he had eight catches for 108 yards against the Eagles at FedEx Field in a game the Eagles won.

The Eagles would take that. Hell, they'd take half of it.

Dotson, who didn't catch a single ball in his debut for the Eagles in São Paulo on Friday night, may have to take on a bigger role on Monday night when the Eagles face the Falcons at the Linc.

Superstar wide receiver AJ Brown, who has the 3^rd-most yards in the NFL since joining the Eagles in 2022 is in danger of missing the first home game after suffering a hamstring injury during practice on Friday. He did not practice on Saturday and the Eagles consider his participation on Monday questionable.

If he can't play, it's Dotson's turn.

“I feel very comfortable,” Dotson said after practice on Saturday. “We're just preparing as if AJ was going to play. That's the goal. But if I get the chance, I'm going to take full advantage of it. That's what I was brought here to do. Take advantage of every single opportunity I'm given.”

The Eagles have worn out a number of third receivers in recent years with limited success – Quez Watkins, Zach Pascal, Olamide Zaccheaus, Julio Jones.

When John Ross and Parris Campbell failed to capture the third outside spot in training camp, the Eagles acquired Dotson from the Commanders on August 22 along with a 5^th-round pick in exchange for a 3^rd-Round pick and two 7^th-All-rounder.

Dotson was a disappointment in Washington as 16th.^th pick in the 2022 draft. He had 84 catches for 1,041 yards with 11 touchdowns in 29 games for the Commanders. He topped 60 yards in only five of his 26 starts, mostly with Cartson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke and Sam Howell.

But the Eagles are hoping that in this offense with Jalen Hurts at quarterback and a number of other weapons at his side, Dotson can step in and make enough plays to put the defense under pressure.

“I'm much more comfortable with the playbook and my role on this team,” he said. “I'm working on it day by day, but I'm getting more comfortable every day. So it's good.”

Dotson played 30 snaps against the Packers without catching a ball, and was once targeted on a pass from Hurts that was nearly intercepted.

“Everyone in the league is doing pretty much the same thing,” Dotson said. “I think the biggest difference is you come from an offense that calls something one thing and then you come to this offense and it's the exact same thing but you call it a completely different thing.”

“Whenever someone asks me, I always say it's like learning another language. Some things mean 'hello', but people say it in different ways and in different languages. That's the best way I can express it. I'm pretty good at it. I go into Monday night with a lot of confidence.”

Dotson is another local. He attended Nazareth Area High School in Upper Nazareth – about 10 miles north of the Eagles' old training camp headquarters in Lehigh – and also spent a year at the Peddie School in Hightstown, Mercer County before playing at Penn State, where he had a great senior year in 2021 – 91 catches, 1,182 yards, 12 touchdowns.

If he starts Monday night, it will be the first time two Penn State players have started the same game for the Eagles since Michael Timpson and Mike Zordich – also against the Falcons – on Dec. 14, 1997 at the Georgia Dome.

“I've played here a few times on the opposing side, but I think playing here with the home team is going to be pretty cool, pretty awesome,” Dotson said. “Monday night is going to be electric.”

“Personally, I love night games, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

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