The Los Angeles Rams had a clear area of focus when the 2022 season ended, and that was to overhaul the offensive line. Injuries and inconsistent performance from the Rams frontmen last season led to a laboring run game and an injury to quarterback Matthew Stafford, but the Rams addressed it with the draft and with acquiring players like Kevin Dotson via trade.
Dotson was dealt to the Rams from the Pittsburgh Steelers in August, just before the season began. He eventually became the team’s starting right guard, as L.A.’s scouting team had been monitoring Dotson’s role in Pittsburgh ever since discussions began on the Allen Robinson trade. Fast forward to today, and Dotson has been instrumental in what has been a complete 180 for the Rams this season in both the run game and in pass protection.
And as good as Dotson has been for L.A., it’s the team that has returned the favor for Dotson. After three seasons with the Steelers, Dotson could absolutely benefit from a change in scenery. He committed a career high 11 penalties last season and the former fourth-round pick was clearly seeing a role shift prior to the trade.
Dotson got to L.A. and saw an immediate difference. He praised the organization for being so welcoming and allowing him to flourish, according to Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
“They were probably the most welcoming people I’ve met,” Dotson told theRams.com. “Just (from) Day 1, everybody was on board with me being here. Not really one of those things where you have to have an acclimation period of trying to get used to everybody. Everybody was cool, they’ve been good all season. There’s a lot of positive reinforcement here. I’m coming from a place I had a little more negative (reinforcement), which I’m good with negative, I feel like sometimes you need it. This place was a lot of positive, and I’m seeing that I like that too. So it’s definitely a benefit to have a coach like McVay who gives you that positive reinforcement.”
Dotson wanted to make the most of the opportunity with the trade and made it known when the Rams told him he’d be coming to Los Angeles:
“It was pretty much in my plans,” Dotson said. “The second they told me that I was gonna be coming out here, just had it in my plans of like, I want to be able to start. I knew once they gave me my chance, I had to take full advantage and that’s what I’ve been doing. I don’t know what’s happening in next year, but I just know I had to take advantage of it this year.”
Now Dotson, alongside Steve Avila, Alaric Jackson, Coleman Shelton and Rob Havenstein, has helped the Rams find an identity behind a strong offensive line. The results speak for themselves with the Rams on the cusp of making the postseason when many assumed they would be in a battle for the top of the draft order.
How the Rams can clinch a postseason spot in Week 17
The Rams are in a position to lock themselves into the playoffs prior to Week 18, but they’ll need some help in order to make it happen. To start, L.A. must defeat the New York Giants. But after that, they have two ways of securing their place this week.
The first, and more likely, scenario is the Steelers defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. That plus a Rams win would mean L.A. makes the postseason. If the Seahawks beat the Steelers, the Rams could also secure a spot with a win and a tie between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers, although that is far less likely.
