Once the Pittsburgh Steelers signed OGs Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig this offseason, the writing was on the wall for former starting LG Kevin Dotson.
The fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft has had an up-and-down NFL career, battling injuries and inconsistent play. He has flashed promise as a potential quality starter, but also has been frustrating at the same time regarding his lack of continual development to be trusted in the starting lineup.
Last Friday night against the Buccaneers, Dotson played 16 offensive snaps, logging nine snaps at left guard and seven at right guard. Pro Football Focus gave Dotson a 65.4 overall grade for his performance against Tampa Bay, the fourth-year veteran earning a 68.0 run blocking grade and a 45.1 pass blocking grade.
Seumalo has overtaken Dotson as the starting left guard while Herbig has gotten reps at both guard and center, becoming a versatile interior swing man who could play over Dotson should an injury occur to either Seumalo or James Daniels. The Steelers also had rookie OL Spencer Anderson flashing his versatility, playing both guard and tackle in their first preseason game against Tampa Bay while also taking snaps Tuesday at center as he tries to make his case for the roster.
While you can never have too much depth along the offensive line, Dotson feels like the odd man out with one foot already out the door. His rookie contract is up after the 2023 season, and he likely won’t re-sign with Pittsburgh as he looks for an opportunity to start elsewhere. Instead of holding him for the year to have him not play and watch him walk, the Steelers instead could turn to the rest of the league to see if they could trade Dotson for a draft pick.
Bob Labriola of Steelers.com recently wrote in a piece that he thinks Dotson could go for a conditional Day Three pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. It’s a realistic return for a player like Dotson, who isn’t a household name but has started 30 games in his NFL career. Given the landscape of the NFL and the need for experienced offensive linemen, Dotson could command anywhere from a fifth- to seventh-round draft pick depending on the team and the need.
With two preseason games left, the Steelers still have time to decide whether they want to move Dotson or keep him on their 53-man roster heading into the regular season. A trade probably wouldn’t occur until after the last preseason game is played and teams attempt to shuffle their rosters prior to the start of the regular season. That’s what Pittsburgh did when it traded for OLB Malik Reed and OL Jesse Davis prior to the start of the regular season last year. The Steelers could also hold on to Dotson into the regular season, keeping him on the roster and dealing him before the trade deadline like they did with WR Chase Claypool last year.
It isn’t a foregone conclusion that Dotson is going to get traded. In fact, prioritizing depth on the offensive line and the return they can get for him may be the variables that prevent Pittsburgh from dealing Dotson. However, should they get a return they find of value to them, Dotson is the clear name to watch going forward as the player on the Steelers’ roster that may get dealt to another team at some point this season.
