I was surprised to learn last year that Hogan's production last season was pretty much identical to every other year - 55 target, 35 catches, 532 yards receiving.
Chris Hogan Stats | ESPN
It seemed like he didn't come up big in games when he was most needed like in previous seasons. I wish him well - he was a great guy and fun to watch.
Hogan's numbers, like Dorsett's numbers, are tough to normalize. Hogan played 4 games as the WR1, yet only had 15 targets and 8 receptions, for 109 yards, in those 4 games. Furthermore, in 2 of the games, he managed just one reception. People will have their own theories about this. But, whether it's decline, being required to play above what was always his level, or something else, I think it's telling that Dorsett had 26 targets and 16 receptions, for 165 yards, in that same 4 game stretch.
And I think it tells us more when we add that to the fact that, with the return of Edelman and the integration of Gordon, Dorsett was mostly sent to the bench (In fact, after week 5, Dorsett had only 77 snaps until after the Pittsburgh game, when Gordon got suspended again, and then he had 63 snaps in the season's final two games), and Hogan had an 8 game stretch where he had only 14 targets and 8 receptions, before finally having another frequent target game in the season finale, after Gordon had been suspended (11 targets, 6 receptions, 64 yards, and that included an 0-for-everything in 62 snaps, in the first game after Gordon's suspension).
To me, that says that Dorsett was looked at as a limited-role OWR who was behind Gordon and wasn't really looked at in any other capacity, and Hogan was looked at as a guy who just didn't have the same game as he had previously. YMMV, of course. And, again to me, it looks as if the post-season actions of letting Hogan walk while retaining Dorsett for small money backs that up, as does Dorsett getting the bigger contract of the two.*
* And let me end by saying that I make no claims as to the health of Hogan, or game plans, or the like, so I make no final statement as to the underlying bedrock 'why' of how things played out as they did.
