Recapping the best and worst LA Rams roster moves made in 2023

The Best

Unlike other lists of this nature, we are going to lead with our best foot forward. For the Rams, that best foot has to be in the direction of their decision to trade with an AFC North team for a reserve offensive lineman who was destined to sit out the 2023 NFL season awaiting a chance to play. But this time, the target was not Cleveland Browns backup interior offensive lineman Austin Corbett. This time, the Rams traded with the Pittsburgh Steelers for one of their reserve interior offensive linemen, Kevin Dotson.

In three seasons, Dotson had played 39 games for the Steelers and started 30 of them. But the Steelers had found more intriguing starters for the 2023 NFL season, which relegated Dotston to their bench. He was a solid performer for the Steelers, but due to their roster needs, he was flipped from a starting right guard to left guard. When he arrived at the Rams, he was restored to a right guard role, a role that proved to be his natural best.

It was not as though the Rams did not have options at right guard. In fact, Dotson was simply a backup offensive lineman on the Rams roster for three weeks before getting the start. The team had hopes that 2022 rookie IOL Logan Bruss would be able to step up for the team in 2023. But his serious injury carried over into 2023, forcing the team to consider other options. The team trialed Tremayne Anchrum Jr. and Joe Noteboom in the role, finally opting to start Noteboom. But Noteboom was forced to shift to left tackle, which prompted the team to start Dotson at right guard.

From there, the Rams offensive line began to congeal and truly solidified into a formidable offensive wall for veteran QB Matthew Stafford after the Week 10 BYE. By many accounts, Dotson was the lynchpin that pulled the offensive line together. Per Pro Football Focus, the 6-foor-4, 321-pound Kevin Dotson earned a grade of 85.2 for 2023, allowing four sacks and committing two penalties in 881 offensive snaps.

Will the Rams re-sign him? His current projected salary for 2024 by Over the Cap is under $6 million, while Spotrac.com values him at $16.4 million. I cannot see the Rams breaking the bank to re-sign their right guard, but if the team can sign him for under $12 million per year, I think that may be within their budget.