Rams trade for Steelers OL

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  • #145045
    zn
    Moderator

    #145046
    zn
    Moderator

    from the wiki

    Pittsburgh Steelers

    Dotson was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft, 135th overall, by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He made his NFL debut on September 14, 2020, in the season opener against the New York Giants, entering the game at right guard to replace injured starter Stefen Wisniewski. Dotson made his first career start the following week on September 20, 2020, against the Denver Broncos. He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on November 14, 2020, and activated on November 30. Dotson entered the 2021 season as the Steelers starting left guard. He started the first nine games before suffering an ankle injury in Week 10. He was placed on injured reserve on November 20, 2021.

    from old draft report

    By Lance Zierlein
    Overview
    Backup-caliber guard with the football intelligence, technique and run-blocking ability for eventual starter consideration in the right circumstance. Dotson is a powerful man with experience blocking in zone, gap and power schemes. He’s a little stiff-kneed with sluggish change of direction so slanting fronts and athletic pass rushers could create inconsistencies in his performance. What he can do well outweighs the concerns and he could hear his name called on Day 3.
    .
    Strengths
    • Broad shoulders with a barrel chest
    • Fundamentals have been drilled into him
    • Initial steps are controlled and purposeful as run blocker
    • Brute force and leg drive to generate movement
    • Good grip strength and strains to sustain
    • Well-versed in inside and outside zone
    • Takes smart angles up to second-level targets
    • Heavy-handed punch
    • Balanced posture in pass sets with punch-ready hands
    • Plays with recognition of incoming twists
    Weaknesses
    • A little short with top-heavy build lacking proportion
    • Has issues keeping balance when he’s cross-faced off snap
    • Not a natural knee bender
    • Ducks head into contact attempting to create leverage
    • Needs to bring feet with him to prevent from falling off blocks
    • Average quickness to expedite combo blocks when needed
    • Needs to re-set hands more quickly
    • Mirror suffers when he loses proper base width
    • Feet and agility to recover are below average

     

     

    #145049
    zn
    Moderator

    Rams acquire OG Kevin Dotson from Steelers: How injuries factored into trade

    Mark Kaboly and Jourdan Rodrigue

    https://theathletic.com/4811143/2023/08/27/rams-steelers-kevin-dotson-trade/

    The Los Angeles Rams acquired offensive guard Kevin Dotson from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the teams announced Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:

    The Steelers receive the Rams’ 2024 fourth-round pick and 2025 fifth-round pick while Los Angeles receives Pittsburgh’s 2024 fifth-round pick and 2025 sixth-round pick.
    Pittsburgh drafted Dotson in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
    Dotson started 30 of his 39 career games in Pittsburgh.

    The Athletic’s instant analysis:

    Why this makes sense for Los Angeles

    Even though Dotson has 30 games worth of starting experience for the Steelers, including 17 games last season, I’m told Los Angeles considers this to be a depth move for their offensive line. Dotson has played some at both guard spots.

    The Rams’ offensive line seems mostly solidified…with the pesky exception of right guard. Joe Noteboom, who Los Angeles extended on a three-year, $40 million contract in 2022, is expected to compete for the starting right guard job when he returns from an injury coaches say is unrelated to the Achilles tear he suffered in 2022.

    Noteboom was initially competing at left tackle, but was moved to a rotation at right guard with Tremayne Anchrum with a few days left in the Rams’ Irvine, Calif. camp before suffering the undisclosed injury. — Rodrigue

    How many offensive linemen will the Rams keep?

    With Dotson expected to fill a depth role, larger questions remain about how many offensive linemen the Rams will keep on their roster. They recently moved last year’s third-round pick, Logan Bruss, out of right guard and back to his natural tackle spot, but his play has fluctuated there in practices and games.

    Bruss and rookie fifth-round pick Warren McClendon are now training as reserve swing tackles, while Anchrum could be a swing depth player at guard if he loses the position battle to Noteboom. They also have a two-deep at center, but veteran Brian Allen does not also play guard while starter Coleman Shelton does. — Rodrigue

    Why Pittsburgh moved on

    It made all the sense in the world for the Steelers to move on from Dotson, who was a draft darling three years ago. It was just a matter of what kind of compensation they could get for him. With Isaac Seumalo signed in free agency to start at left guard, Nate Herbig brought in as a free agent in March to play swing guard and Dotson being in the final year of his rookie deal and set to earn $2.75 million, it was pretty much an expected move.

    The only twist was Herbig had missed the past two weeks with a shoulder injury but Mike Tomlin said Saturday that he wasn’t concerned with that. — Kaboly

    How injuries factored into trade

    There is only so much Tomlin and the Steelers deal with injuries before cutting ties. Dotson was at that point. He got hurt in each of his first three years and was nursing a shoulder and ankle injury this preseason. To his credit, he played every snap last year as he battled through nagging injuries.

    Dotson was the physical guard they wanted but the inconsistency ultimately was his biggest issue. Dotson committed 12 penalties a year ago including four false starts and four holding calls that frustrated Pittsburgh. The transaction could mean the Steelers keep the much-maligned former third-round pick Kendrick Green on the initial 53.

    #145054
    canadaram
    Participant

    After last season I appreciate any effort to bolster the depth along the offensive line.

    #145055
    wv
    Participant

    Seems like an important trade to me.   An under the radar type thing only hardcore fans will care about.

    The kind of solid vet depth he provides could save Matthew Stafford from

    getting himself all Bulgerized.

     

    w

    v

    #145057
    zn
    Moderator

    The kind of solid vet depth he provides could save Matthew Stafford from getting himself all Bulgerized.   w v

    I gather that when you say Stafford shouldn’t get Bulgerized, that means that he should not be a lazy non-performer who doesn’t care about the team or the game since he got his new contract, and instead blames his poor play on team injuries, which is just making excuses because all teams have injuries. Also, there’s nothing wrong with Zygmunt.

    #145061
    joemad
    Participant

    Dotson was the physical guard they wanted but the inconsistency ultimately was his biggest issue. Dotson committed 12 penalties a year ago including four false starts and four holding calls that frustrated Pittsburgh.

    I’ll take it…. … last year the OL also committed penalties without being physical.

    Stafford was sacked 29 times in 9 games last year… (over 3 sacks per game)

     

    #145133
    zn
    Moderator

    Rams Brothers@RamsBrothers
    Alaric Jackson
    • didn’t start playing football until his JR year of HS
    • starting LT for a team that’s less than 2 years removed from winning a SB
    • beat out Whitworth’s replacement in Noteboom, who was handed $40MM

    #145135
    wv
    Participant

    Rams Brothers@RamsBrothers Alaric Jackson • didn’t start playing football until his JR year of HS • starting LT for a team that’s less than 2 years removed from winning a SB • beat out Whitworth’s replacement in Noteboom, who was handed $40MM

     

    This is ridiculously nitpicky….but “didnt start playing football until his JR year of HS”

     

    So what.

     

    w

    v

    #145136
    zn
    Moderator

    Rams Brothers@RamsBrothers Alaric Jackson • didn’t start playing football until his JR year of HS • starting LT for a team that’s less than 2 years removed from winning a SB • beat out Whitworth’s replacement in Noteboom, who was handed $40MM

    This is ridiculously nitpicky….but “didnt start playing football until his JR year of HS” So what. w v

    It’s not a criticism though. He’s praising him for being a fast learner who came a long way in a short time.

    #145137
    Zooey
    Participant

    He’s praising him for being a fast learner who came a long way in a short time.

    My reaction reading that was not to see it as a criticism of Jackson, but as praise that didn’t mean much. Cuz I doubt starting football earlier would have made much difference. My experience with high school kids is that not a lot of “learning” goes on in their freshmen and sophomore years. I really don’t see a lot of light bulbs over their heads until their JR year anyway. I wouldn’t think the ground Jackson needed to make up would be very much.

    #145141
    nittany ram
    Moderator

    He’s praising him for being a fast learner who came a long way in a short time.

    My reaction reading that was not to see it as a criticism of Jackson, but as praise that didn’t mean much. Cuz I doubt starting football earlier would have made much difference. My experience with high school kids is that not a lot of “learning” goes on in their freshmen and sophomore years. I really don’t see a lot of light bulbs over their heads until they’re JR year anyway. I wouldn’t think the ground Jackson needed to make up would be very much.

    I agree with that.  Besides, I played high school football and we weren’t being taught the same techniques they were using in the pros.  Our instruction was much more rudimentary, so I’m not sure a lot of high school football experience is that important.

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