Losing three games in a row has put the season in the balance for the Washington Commanders, but they can take some early Christmas cheer from knowing they're still headed in the right direction. That knowledge is based on how five prominent payers of the former regime have floundered on new teams in 2024.
This below-par quintet includes a pair of wide receivers who have hardly made a dent for different employers. That one of those wideouts is practically anonymous for one of the Commanders' NFC East rivals only sweetens the pot and justifies general manager Adam Peters' decision to trade.
Peters didn't trade a highly-touted pass-rusher during last season, but he can thank predecessor Martin Mayhew and ex-head coach Ron Rivera for that. They got creditable draft compensation for a defensive end who's still no closer to living up to the hysterically premature billing as a future Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Peters and Dan Quinn didn't just dump underachievers. A pair of Commanders who were solid performers on losing teams haven't met expectations since landing in the AFC East. At least they can point to injuries and misuse as adequate reasons why.
Here are the five Commanders finding out the grass isn't always greener, starting with Jahan Dotson.
Jahan Dotson and 4 former Commanders who have floundered in 2024
Jahan Dotson's not making a difference for the Eagles
Trading Jahan Dotson within the division showed exactly what Peters, Quinn, and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury thought of Rivera's first-round pick from 2022. It turns out their downbeat assessment was right, even though the transaction appeared short-sighted at the time.
The Commanders opted to deal away a young receiver with legitimate after-catch skills for a third-round pick and two seventh-rounders next year. A decent haul, but it was a risk to say goodbye to Dotson when rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels needed weapons and lacked (still does) credible big-play targets beyond perimeter specialist Terry McLaurin.
Dotson's performances have since made it look like Peters should've worn a ski mask and carried a bag marked with a dollar sign when collecting those draft choices from the Eagles. Four starts, 10 catches, and six first downs are all Philadelphia has gotten for its investment in a pass-catcher still not scratching the surface of his full potential.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. However, Dotson isn't the only would-be playmaker proving little more than a passenger elsewhere.
Curtis Samuel quiet in Buffalo
The Buffalo Bills must've thought they'd gotten a bargain when they snagged Curtis Samuel in free agency. A total-yardage machine who could offset the loss of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, while offering veteran support to young receivers Khalil Shakir and rookie Keon Coleman.
It was a fine theory, but Samuel has barely made a peep since rocking up at Orchard Park. Instead, the 28-year-old is averaging just 8.8 yards from 21 receptions.
As for those famed rushing skills the Washington Commanders barely saw during three frustrating seasons? Samuel has gained six yards on three carries in his new home. Get used to that feeling Bills fans.
Samuel's ongoing struggles to be a multi-phase weapon are rendering him a forgotten man in a receiver corps led by Shakir and underpinned by the awesome physical talents of future star Coleman.
While we're on the subject of dual-threat skill players not making the grade, let's take a trip further around the AFC East to New England.
Antonio Gibson is being overlooked by Patriots
You only need to take a look at Antonio Gibson's snap counts to see how the New England Patriots are wasting the most versatile member of their backfield. He has played just 27 percent of the snaps on offense.
Why the Patriots aren't using Gibson more often is more of a mystery. He's a proven runner with some toughness and a few moves between the tackles. The 26-year-old is also an excellent receiver.
His two-pronged skill set should make Gibson the best friend to first-year passer Drake Maye, chosen one pick after Jayden Daniels in this year's draft. Yet offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has been content to lean on incumbent Rhamondre Stevenson.
He was already the lead workhorse, so Stevenson's snap share isn't the issue. What's contentious is JaMycal Hasty eating into Gibson's playing time.
The Patriots want an active rotation, but it's not as if Gibson has been wasteful with the scant opportunities he's had. An average of 4.3 yards per carry shows the former Commanders' star is getting it done on the ground. His 9.8 yards per catch proves he's still an asset when the ball's in the air.
What's missing is even a single touchdown. Odd for a player who found the end zone 29 times during his time suiting up for the Burgundy and Gold.
It's fair to say the Commanders haven't missed any member of this trio on offense. The story is similar on the other side of the ball.
Chase Young is still far from dominant for Saints
Remember when Chase Young was being measured for a gold jacket before he'd even played a down in the pros? The No. 2 pick from 2020's class has never looked worthy of a place in Canton. Not with the Washington Commanders, nor with the San Francisco 49ers to finish last season, and not with the New Orleans Saints during this current campaign.
The Saints got Young on a year's rental to see if the jacket would finally fit, but it's still pinching. So much so, that he was before the league's deadline in November.
Speculation Young will be one and done in New Orleans isn't going away. Not when Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox thinks NFC South rivals the Atlanta Falcons will make an offseason push for the defensive end who promises more than he delivers.
Knox believes Young "has responded well" to pressure to prove himself with the Saints, but 3.5 sacks and 19 pressures are not the numbers of a truly dominant pass-rusher. Instead, those statistics show the former Ohio State phenom is still a disruptor who has trouble finishing with enough big plays.
Just contrast what Young is doing for the Saints with the return the Commanders have gotten from the modest contract they handed Dante Fowler Jr. His 8.5 sacks are proof of how easy it's been to replace someone who was supposed to be a franchise cornerstone.
Circumstances have hampered Kendall Fuller with the Dolphins
What's with the exodus from Washington to the AFC East? It's a mystery for another time, but the next batch of Commanders free agents should think twice about treading the same path, based on how this year's crop has fared in the other conference.
Kendall Fuller was perhaps the most consistent member of perennially disappointing pass defenses on Ron Rivera's watch. Smart, versatile, and physical, the cornerback looked like a steal for the Miami Dolphins. Unfortunately, circumstances have hardly favored the player or team.
Specifically, Fuller has suffered two concussions since his move to Hard Rock Stadium. Those setbacks have kept the ninth-year pro sidelined for three games and counting.
In the process, Fuller is missing valuable minutes of a recent defensive revival for the suddenly upward-trending Dolphins. He's a starter when healthy, so the former Virginia Tech star will soon play his way off a list like this once he gets back onto the field.
If he does, Fuller will count as a rare member of last season's team missed by a 2024 group undermined by an inconsistent defense, struggling up front and on the back end.
