Tag: Kevin Dotson

Rams trading for Steelers guard Kevin Dotson to improve OL depth

The Rams are trading for Kevin Dotson from the Steelers in hopes of him providing depth along the offensive line.

The Los Angeles Rams are still figuring things out in the trenches on the offensive side of the ball, and they’ve added another player to the mix ahead of Week 1. With teams making roster cuts in the next two days, the Rams have traded for Kevin Dotson from the Pittsburgh Steelers to provide depth along the offensive line.

The Rams and Steelers are reportedly swapping fourth and fifth-round picks in the 2024 NFL draft and fifth and sixth-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.

Dotson, a former fourth-round pick by the Steelers in the 2020 NFL draft, has made 30 total starts in his first three seasons in the league. The 26-year-old offensive lineman started in all 17 games for the Steelers in 2022, primarily at guard.

Last season, the Rams had a handful of injuries along the offensive line and performed poorly in terms of protecting the quarterback. Entering the 2023 season, the Rams were holding competitions at multiple interior positions, including at center and right guard.

Joe Noteboom and Tremayne Anchrum have been competing at right guard, and with Noteboom’s status for Week 1 up in the air and Anchrum making one career start, Dotson could be starting for the Rams sooner rather than later.

6 offensive linemen Saints could target in trades after Trai Turner injury

Offensive line depth is important to the Saints. Here are six options who could be available for trades after Friday’s Trai Turner injury:

Offensive line depth is important to the New Orleans Saints, who took quick action to replace backup guard Billy Price with former Pro Bowler Trai Turner when Price failed his physical. But now they need to replace Turner after he went down with a season-ending injury at Friday’s training camp practice.

It’s more likely that the Saints will look to sign another free agent to compete for the backup job, but here are six options who could be available for trades. Fans would like to think that other teams are willing to give up All-Pro talents for peanuts, but keep in mind that anyone available at this time of the year is likely already on the way out with their current team. Beggars (like the Saints) can’t exactly be choosers.

Pittsburgh Steelers get G Kevin Dotson back

A key component of the Steelers O-line returned to practice on Wednesday.

It’s been more than a month since second-year guard Kevin Dotson has suited up for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dotson was placed on injured reserve on November 20 with an ankle injury but returned to practice on Wednesday, the team announced.

The Steelers now have a 21-day window to activate Dotson from injured reserve to the 53-man roster. Otherwise, he’ll have to sit out the remainder of the season.

A fourth-round selection of the 2020 NFL draft, Dotson started nine games at left guard this season.

The Dotson situation will be something to keep an eye on. If the Steelers do activate him, it’ll be interesting to see what head coach Mike Tomlin does, as he’s been hesitant to shuffle the offensive line personnel all season. Although tackle Zach Banner had been healthy (prior to landing on Reserve/COVID-19 list today) and ready to go for weeks and starters struggled, Banner remained a reserve.

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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin on G Kevin Dotson: ‘Don’t anoint him just yet’

There’s been a lot of talk surrounding Steelers G Kevin Dotson this offseason — particularly from the mouth of HC Mike Tomlin — and it hasn’t all been good. 

There’s been a lot of talk surrounding Pittsburgh Steelers second-year guard Kevin Dotson this offseason — particularly from the mouth of head coach Mike Tomlin — and it hasn’t all been good.

From rumors to showing up to Pittsburgh out of shape to being demoted to backup guard, Dotson has been contending with a lot of gossip.

But, today, there’s good news! Sort of…

For the first time since Dotson started working with the team at training camp, he’s practicing with the starters.

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When ESPN’s Brooke Pryor asked Tomlin if Dotson working with the first team directly resulted from his performance versus the Eagles, Tomlin wasn’t exactly ready to shower his guard with praise.

“I think we gave some guys the day off,” Tomlin told Steelers media after practice. “Sometimes, when you give a guy the day off, it gives other guys the opportunity to elevate. We gave Trai Turner a day off, and so we looked at some combination of guys.”

“[Dotson] did perform well in the game, but I wouldn’t anoint him just yet.”

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Steelers G Kevin Dotson vents ‘frustration’ of injury delaying NFL offseason work

The Steelers second-year guard cleared up the confusion HC Mike Tomlin’s recent comments caused.

In a press conference over the weekend, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was asked why guard Kevin Dotson was with the reserves at practice. Tomlin’s “he hasn’t worked” response left many folks outside of the organization scratching their heads, and speculation ran rampant.

On Tuesday, Dotson cleared the air — hasn’t worked means hasn’t practiced.

“I have not legit done anything,” Dotson said in Tuesday’s post-practice press conference. “There is nothing to look at for my body of work. I have not practiced once. Yesterday was my first half practice. He wasn’t lying.”

“I still have to prove myself. I am not a No. 1 proven guy. I still have to prove myself.”

It’s uncertain how and when Dotson injured his ankle, but he just returned to practice this week. Dotson should revert to the first team once he gets in the work that Tomlin expects of him. After all, he’s listed as the starter on the Steelers depth chart. Rashaad Cowherd, working with the ones in Dotson’s place, is behind Trai Turner on Ben Roethlisberger’s right side.

Dotson shared that he’s been cautious about the “lingering” injury as it pertains to practice. The season is a long one and hasn’t even started yet.

“It’s one of those things where you don’t want to go out there and hurt it more,” said Dotson. “I took as much as I can to get back, to get right. I feel like I will be able to get back in it. I am feeling 100 percent, or close to.”

Being a second-year player comes with a ton of expectations, and Dotson isn’t disappointed by the lost time.

“The frustration is me not being able to prove myself,” he said. “All of the work I did in the offseason, to be hurt, not be able to show my stuff. To watch my teammates do run drills, one-on-ones, some of my favorite things.”

Getting Dotson first-team reps can’t come soon enough. The Steelers kick off their 2021 season Sunday, Sept. 12, in Buffalo versus the Bills.

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Kevin Dotson has a few words for Pittsburgh Steelers rookies

The second-year guard has some advice for his new teammates.

2020 was a weird year. There was no rookie minicamp, no organized team activities (OTAs). Everything was virtual, which, among other things, made it difficult for the newbies to get to know the veterans.

Steelers guard Kevin Dotson was part of the 2020 rookie class that was indoctrinated differently than any other class in the history of the NFL.

While it’s the first year for Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth, Kendrick Green and the rest of the class, it ultimately doesn’t matter.

“Once you’ve made it into the league, you’re not a rookie anymore,” Dotson told the Steelers media after OTAs on Wednesday. “People are going to hold you to high expectations, even in practice. People don’t have any sympathy for ‘oh, this is his first year.’ No, it’s if you get plugged in, you need to be able to compete. We can’t slow up for anybody.”

Dotson knows well what he speaks. Although backups prepare as if they’re starting, he was thrust into the role a lot sooner than expected.

Starter David DeCastro missed three full games and parts of others with knee and abdominal injuries, including Week 1. Dotson had never played a snap in the NFL and already his name was being called.

But Dotson said he’s not concerned about Pittsburgh’s 2021 rookie class not being ready if their names are called. He’s confident they’ll be ready.

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Kevin Dotson doubted himself in pre- NFL draft process

Kevin Dotson had a solid rookie season but was unsure of himself before last year’s draft.

Kevin Dotson is a simple man with simple pleasures. He’s been keeping himself busy this offseason with the things he loves the most.

“I’ve been painting, working out, sleeping,” Dotson said, with a smile, in a recent interview with Missi Matthews from Steelers.com.

A passion he’s had since grade school, Dotson loves to paint and draw in his downtime. It’s second to his passion for football, of course.

And though he loves the game, Dotson doubted himself during the pre-draft process.

“The draft process was really putting a lot of stress on me. Am I even going to make it to the league? Am I going to be good enough to compete?”

But those thoughts dissipated, and Dotson felt a weight lifted after the draft.

“Once I got into the league and started practicing and playing in games, that weight of anxiety and stress came off me,” he said. “Now I can focus on becoming better instead of wondering if I belong.”

Now Dotson is one year removed from that process; he can think about the present with the Steelers and how to improve his game.

Dotson has been working with offensive line guru Duke Manyweather to study and practice technique, fundamentals and functional movement.

The rookie functionally moved plenty of defenders last season, especially as a pass blocker. Dotson needs to get better in the run game, but that could be said about every Steelers lineman from 2020. Not to mention, there were five games in 13 appearances that Dotson didn’t play at all. It isn’t easy to boost an aspect of your game without live-action.

Overall, though, Dotson says that improving the run game will be a collective effort.

“It’s going to be a group thing,” Dotson said. “We’re going to have to diagnose what we did wrong last year. We’ll work on footwork, the mechanics of run-blocking progression. It’s just one of those things where, if we all come together, we can change things for the better.”

Steelers Nation is looking forward to what they can bring in 2021.

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Will the Steelers-Jaguars Week 11 game be on TV in your area?

The Jags and Steelers game will be widely televised on the east coast this Sunday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will get a crack at the league’s lone undefeated team in the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will travel to North Florida this Sunday. While both are no longer in the same division, the meeting will mark a rivalry game that has a bit of interesting history behind it.

The Jags will come into this game with the second-worst record in football (1-8), but despite that many Pittsburgh Steelers fans are on high alert. That anxiety is certainly justified when considering the Jags lead the all-time series by a narrow 14-12 margin. Additionally, the last two games between both teams were decided by margins of four (2018) and three (2017 playoffs).

This will be another 1:00 pm EST kickoff for the Jags. Per 506 Sports, those who live in the blue shaded areas will be able to see the game.

Calling the game this week will be Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Charles Davis (color commentator) for Sunday’s game at TIAA Bank Field.

While Steelers fans may come into this one a bit nervous, the Jags will have an uphill battle on their hands. They will come into the game without several key players, including quarterback Gardner Minshew II. That will put sixth-round rookie Jake Luton in a situation where he will be up against the No. 6 ranked defense in just his third start.

The Jags also could be without starting cornerback Sidney Jones IV (Achilles), who was ruled questionable on the final injury report. If he can’t go, that would put the Jags in a situation where both of their top-2 corners would be out as C.J. Henderson was placed on injured reserve this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers rule out 3 for Jacksonville Jaguars game

The Steelers look to be heading into Jacksonville with nearly a clean slate on the injury front.

The Steelers Friday injury report looks fairly clean, with only running backs Trey Edmunds, Jaylen Samuels, and linebacker Jayrone Elliott ruled out for Sunday.

Edmunds (hamstring) and Samuels (quad) were both injured versus the Bengals. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin indicated on Tuesday that the backs’ availability would be dependent on practice participation, and neither took part all week. Elliott (illness) also has not been at practice this week.

As anticipated, cornerback Mike Hilton will be back in action. He was a full practice participant all week after exiting with a shoulder injury in the second quarter of Week 6.

Though Cam Sutton has played solid in Hilton’s absence, having him back in the lineup is just the injection Pittsburgh’s defense needs.

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Tight end Vance McDonald and guard Kevin Dotson have not yet been activated from reserve/COVID-19.

Here’s Friday’s full rundown as reported by Teresa Varley of Steelers.com:

Game status
RB Trey Edmunds (Hamstring) – Out
RB Jaylen Samuels (Quadriceps) – Out
LB Jayrone Elliott (Illness) – Out

Practice participation
QB Ben Roethlisberger (NIR) – Full
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (NIR) – Full
RB Anthony McFarland (Illness) – Full
CB Mike Hilton (Shoulder) – Full
RB Trey Edmunds (Hamstring) – DNP
RB Jaylen Samuels (Quadriceps) – DNP
LB Jayrone Elliott (Illness) – DNP
C Maurkice Pouncey (NIR) – Full
G David DeCastro (NIR) – Full
T Alejandro Villanueva (NIR) – Full
DE Stephon Tuitt (NIR) – Full
DE Isaiah Buggs (Ankle) – Full

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Latest on Vance McDonald, Kevin Dotson and reserve/COVID-19 list

There has been no official update to the contrary on McDonald or Dotson in recent days. 

As of Friday, Steelers tight end Vance McDonald and Kevin Dotson remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list where they were both placed earlier this month. Since Thursday, Nov. 5, McDonald has not practiced and returned a positive test the day following the Dallas Cowboy’s game on Nov. 9. Though it was never made clear whether Dotson tested positive, the guard has not practiced since Thursday, Nov. 12.

Following a positive test, the current COVID protocol states that a player can return after at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and at least 72 hours after he last experienced symptoms.

Though it’s estimated McDonald could’ve returned to practice on or around Nov. 17, Dotson still has three days according to the guidelines.

There has been no official update on the status of either player in recent days. The two are not listed among the activations from reserve/COVID-19 on Friday’s NFL transaction wire.

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