Kevin Dotson is having a massive year for the Los Angeles Rams after the Steelers traded him before the cut-down period. He has turned into one of the NFL’s steadiest guards after playing at left guard for years with the team, but the Rams put him at right guard, his natural position, and he suddenly hit the ground running.
Pro Football Focus sees him playing at an elite level. In fact, he is their second-highest-rated guard through Week 14 with an 84.5 grade overall. When you turn on the tape, it’s hard not to love what Dotson is putting out there. Solid play is not foreign to Dotson at the NFL level. At times, he flashed brilliance with the Steelers, playing with excellent play strength and drive. Yet, he never fully got that going amid injuries and inconsistencies throughout his time with the Steelers. But his steadiness with the Rams is the type of player he would look like without those flaws he presented.
On Friday, he joined Brandon Thorn to talk about his transition to the Rams, and why he is playing at a high level, and he attributes much of it to the switch from left guard to right guard.
“The main thing is just being able to be back at right guard,” Dotson said. “Being back at right, I didn’t realize how much it made a difference for me until I started playing again. It came back to me within a week of practice where I was like, ‘Right side is where I’m meant to be.’ Even in Pittsburgh, they say my best years were when I got to play right. Switching to left, I didn’t feel like I did bad, but being at right, it all just made sense at right. When they switched me to left, that’s something I had to learn that is totally new.”
Dotson started his career with the Steelers at right guard in his rookie year, and that was when he impressed and came along quickly. But the team moved him to left guard shortly after that, and it’s where he would spend most of his time.
Pittsburgh drafted Dotson in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Dotson played phenomenally during his rookie season, as he made 13 appearances and recorded four starts while not allowing a single sack. He also played a significant role on a historic offensive line that allowed just 14 total sacks all season, the franchise’s lowest mark since 1982.
He had his second season cut short after just nine games of being a full-time starter and resumed his starting role last season with a season-ending ankle injury. After his level of play declined over the past two seasons, it seems his time as a Steeler is nearing its end. This offseason, the team signed Isaac Seumalo to a three-year, $24 million contract, and he is expected to take over the starting left guard position.
Dotson played a career-high 1,160 snaps last season and was rated as the Steelers third-best starting offensive lineman (65.4) and the best overall pass blocker (77.6) on the line by PFF. Dotson is one of many former Steelers players who have played at a high level this season after leaving the team. When that happens, questions must be asked, especially with Dotson, who has seemingly looked fantastic.