Steelers' Offensive Lineman Kevin Dotson Fine With Leaving The Team In 2023

During the 2023 NFL offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers made it very clear that they are trying to beef up their offensive line. This has been a work in progress over the last three years and I think that it is finally good to go. But when you bring in a ton of talent to a team, sometimes other players decide to leave on their own.

Steelers Added To Their Offensive Line In 2023

When I look at who the Steelers added to their offensive line in 2023, two players stand out to me. The first huge signing they got on the offensive line was guard Isaac Seumalo. Seumalo was brought in on a three-year contract worth $24 million dollars. He was a part of the elite offensive line for the Philadelphia Eagles and started at their right guard spot. This year he is poised to make the starting lineup for the Steelers and will play one of the guard spots.

The other huge name that the Steelers brought in was Broderick Jones with their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Jones was the starting left tackle for the Georgia Bulldogs during their National Championship run. With the Steelers taking him during the first round, I believe that he is set to be the future of their offensive line and could be a future Pro Bowl tackle.

The main reason why I am excited about this offensive line for the 2023 season is the competition that we could see. The Steelers are so deep that we will have some veterans that will not start. The two veteran linemen that most likely won't start are Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Dotson. Although they are unlikely to start, we should see them get action most likely as rotational pieces.

Dotson has been a solid guard for the Steelers during the three years that he has played in Pittsburgh. This is why the signing of Seumalo was so surprising because at the time it looked like the Steelers needed to focus more on adding to the tackle spot rather than guard. Recently on SteelerNation's own Three Point Stance podcast hosted by Kaleb Everhart and former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Dee Gray, they had the opportunity to speak with Dotson. During this, Dotson spoke out on how he may not start due to the recent signing of Seumalo.

"It's a business." Dotson followed this by saying, "There is nothing you can do once they pay somebody. They give you the hope that there will be competition, but in the back of your mind, you know they are not paying someone $8 million a year to sit on the bench."

The signing of Seumalo could also bring someone like Dotson to want to potentially get traded or look somewhere else during the 2024 free agency. If Dotson were to get traded from the Steelers, I could see them possibly getting a fifth-round pick in return as compensation. I say fifth-round pick because that is what the Arizona Cardinals had to give up for Cody Ford from the Buffalo Bills in 2022. I feel like Ford and Dotson are around the same level skill-wise and that the Steelers would get the same amount of compensation that the Bills got. 

If the Steelers are open to trading Dotson, it would be something like this or he would be a part of a package to get a bigger player. With that, I now know from the interview on the Three Point Stance that Dotson is open to being traded from Pittsburgh. He would do this in hopes of getting a starting spot elsewhere.

"I have to take advantage when opportunities come or possibly have something happen outside of staying here. I would love to stay here, but if there is an opportunity for me to play somewhere else, I may have to take it. [The Steelers] get what they want, and I have to try and get what I can."

So, what do you think, Steeler Nation? Is Dotson's time in Pittsburgh over? Let me know in the comments below!

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