The Los Angeles Rams made a cutdown deadline deal to pick up Pittsburgh Steelers OG Kevin Dotson. The writing was on the wall, and it was the team’s worst-kept secret. Dotson had the talent to be on a team’s 53-man roster but it sure wasn’t going to be Pittsburgh’s. Not after the team signed Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig in free agency. That put Dotson on the trade block and the Steelers shipped him out for Day Three pick swaps in 2024 and 2025. Overall, it felt like fair value.
While the Steelers’ offensive line has dealt with struggles and injuries, Dotson has shined with a fresh start. He began the year as a backup but has started the last three games. He hasn’t just played but thrived. According to Pro Football Focus, Dotson is the fourth-best offensive lineman in football with a grade of 85.3, only trailing Dallas’ Tyler Smith, Indianapolis’ Ryan Kelly, and Minnesota’s Christian Darrisaw. Meaning, of just guards, Dotson is only rated behind Smith and is comfortably the second-highest graded guard in football. Run blocking remains his calling card over pass protection, scoring significantly higher there.
Dotson’s biggest issue in Pittsburgh was penalties, with 11 of them in 2022. The sample size is still relatively small but three games in, Dotson has yet to be flagged this season. It’s a dramatic change in overall play and production and begs the question. Why?
A fresh start doesn’t hurt. But what that really means is a new scheme and new way to be used. When the Steelers dumped Dotson, we noted he was a talented player who didn’t fit in Pittsburgh’s system but could have success elsewhere if a team played to his strengths as an aggressive run blocker. That was the premise of an article: talented player, bad scheme fit, with us concluding:
“I don’t know what kind of system the Rams run. But it’s probably more appealing to what Dotson does best. Maul in the run game, be a little less aggressive in pass protection, and simplify the scheme for him. He could have a good year with the Rams, become a free agent in 2024, and find himself with a decent payday. Free agency comes with a heavy o-line tax.”
That seems to be what’s happening. No doubt Dotson is also motivated by being in a contract year, there’s a large payday on the other side with a good season, but the Rams’ scheme just seems suited for him. In Pittsburgh, especially in 2022 under Pat Meyer, Dotson wasn’t a good fit. He didn’t mesh well with Meyer’s aggressive pass sets or fanning out to give the tackles extra help. Dotson made mental mistakes that led to his inconsistency, and he didn’t develop a feel for the footwork the way it was coached. That’s not a harsh criticism Dotson’s way but an acknowledgment that some players just don’t fit the scheme, like a talented zone corner asked to play man or vice versa. So Pittsburgh moved on.
It also doesn’t hurt that Dotson is back on the right side in Los Angeles, where he exclusively played in college before spending the majority of his time in Pittsburgh at left guard. I’m skeptical of how much that was the issue, but some players are more comfortable punching and moving on one side than the other. So it may play a role, too.
By comparison, Dotson is grading out much higher than his Steelers’ replacements. Seumalo is the 27th-ranked guard, though he’s played better the last two games, while James Daniels is 50th and Herbig 51st.
Dotson will see his former team this weekend. Most of his day, he will go against DT Larry Ogunjobi, who has rushed the passer well this season but is looking to finish more often with just one sack through five games.
