Trading Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles wasn't much of a shock considering how far he fell out of favor with the new regime. Adam Peters took the best offer available whether it came from a division rival or not. He was also fully aware of the need to find another productive pass-catcher before Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rolls around.
The Commanders were presented with a chance to bolster their wide receiver room after final cuts. Noah Brown reportedly had plenty of interest from elsewhere, but he chose Washington thanks to his previous connection with head coach Dan Quinn from their time together on the Dallas Cowboys. Having his old college teammate Terry McLaurin around only sweetened the pot.
Brown is a feast-or-famine signing. There are very few cornerbacks who can cover the player effectively when he's in the mood. But he can drift in and out of form drastically when things aren't quite going his way.
Quinn should have a good indication of how to keep Brown engaged. The former Ohio State star wasted no time in making his intentions clear, outlining his willingness to help in the passing game and anything else that might be required when speaking to the media following his arrival.
"I'm familiar with some faces in the building. Faces are familiar with me. They know what I'm about and what I can bring to this team. I feel like it's a good opportunity for me to come help the program and I'm excited to be here. I think I bring a little bit of everything when it comes to the offensive mindset. I'm a very viable pass option. I can block in the blocking game. I've got experience in the special teams game and I'm willing to do all of it. So I'm just ready to go."
- Noah Brown
This is the right attitude to have - one that should serve him well within the Commanders' newfound ethos. Brown's got the physical stature and proven production in flashes to become impactful in Kliff Kingsbury's schematic concepts. It might take time to learn the system's intricacies, but he's an experienced figure who should take another different environment in his stride.
Coming in with this mindset is exactly what the Commanders need. Dotson is talented but couldn't seem to firmly establish himself under Quinn's coaching staff. Brown has a different attitude and won't want to waste this latest change of scenery.
It's a risky addition for the Commanders. At the same time, the rewards will be substantial if Brown's production matches his obvious intent.
Brown has an opportunity to become a focal point in Washington's passing attack. They are crying out for someone to step up and be the No. 2 option behind McLaurin. OIamide Zaccheuas, Dyami Brown, and third-round rookie Luke McCaffrey also fancy their chances, so it could be a nice problem for Kingsbury to have with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels leading the charge.
It's not costing the Commanders much to find out one way or another what Brown can bring to the table. It could go wrong, but this might also be another tremendous piece of business heading into a campaign with raised expectations aplenty.
