Steelers Rookie Kevin Dotson Suffers Knee Injury

The Steelers suffered a pair of injuries in the team’s second padded practice of 2020 training camp on Tuesday, with one of them potentially being significant to the team’s offensive line depth.

Head coach Mike Tomlin said after practice that rookie guard Kevin Dotson needed helped off the field with a knee injury. Tomlin said that Dotson was still being evaluated after practice and did not have a further update on his status.

Tomlin said that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was among the players that helped Dotson off the field, and praised Roethlisberger’s leadership for coming to the aid of his much younger teammate.

“He’s been there,” Tomlin said. “He’s been down on the field before. He knows the fear associated with that.”

Dotson, the team’s fourth-round draft pick out of Louisiana, figured to provide interior offensive line depth along with free agent signee Stefen Wisniewski for the team this season. The Steelers’ other options at guard behind starters David DeCastro and Matt Feiler include second-year former seventh-round pick Derwin Gray and former XFL guard/tackle Jarron Jones.

DeCastro did not practice for the second straight day. Tomlin called him day-to-day with a minor injury on Monday. The combined absences of DeCastro and Dotson leaves the team relatively thin at guard in the first week of training camp.

Additionally, tight end Dax Raymond suffered an ankle injury. Wide receiver James Washington, who missed Monday’s first day of pads with an undisclosed ailment, returned to work, but did not suit up in full pads. Center Maurkice Pouncey, who was excused for practice on Monday, returned.