Thursday, February 20, 2025, 5:15PM |  20°
MENU
Advertisement
Steelers guard Kevin Dotson trains at Heinz Field in August.
1
MORE

Why Kevin Dotson's ascension is unfamiliar territory for the Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers

Why Kevin Dotson's ascension is unfamiliar territory for the Steelers

After replenishing their offensive line with a series of first- and second-round picks in 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Steelers began to take a different approach to developing line talent. Undrafted free agents and late-round picks who learned their craft on the practice squad, or as reserves on the back end of the roster, became stalwarts alongside those high-round selections.

Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva and left guard Matt Feiler went undrafted and developed on the practice squad before being elevated to the 53-man roster and eventually starting status. Chris Hubbard and B.J. Finney, both of whom parlayed their success into free-agent contracts elsewhere, took similar paths to prominent roles with the Steelers. 

The Steelers have been so successful developing offensive linemen this way that they haven’t had to invest many draft picks to stock their line in recent years. Since 2013, the Steelers have drafted only five offensive linemen, and none higher than the third round. And during that eight-year span, Chukwuma Okorafor is the only one to make a start as a rookie.

Advertisement

Kevin Dotson could be added to that short list Sunday afternoon when the Steelers play host to the Broncos at Heinz Field. A fourth-round pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette, Dotson is in line to get the start at right guard if David DeCastro cannot play again. Veteran Stefen Wisniewski, who started for DeCastro in the opener against the Giants, has a pectoral injury and won’t play against the Broncos.

Members of the Steelers hold a sign during the national anthem prior to a game against the New York Giants, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J.
Paul Zeise
Paul Zeise: Steelers didn’t think through their social justice statement very well

“There always will be a little angst there, but this is professional football,” offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said. “These guys are professional about their work. The nice, unique thing is [center Maurkice Pouncey] and Al and Matt … that’s a good, strong nucleus from a communication standpoint, a no-blink standpoint and big brother standpoint. I may have a little more gray hair thinking about it, but if we put anyone on our roster out there, I’ll get a good night’s sleep because I trust them.”

Doston, who is known as a strong and physical run-blocker, played eight snaps against the Giants after Wisniewski left the game late in the fourth quarter. On his very first NFL snap, he was singled up in pass protection and kept the pocket clean for Ben Roethlisberger, who lofted an 8-yard touchdown to JuJu Smith-Schuster to give the Steelers a 26-10 lead.

The last Steelers guard to make a start as a rookie was DeCastro, who made three starts near the end of the 2012 season after he missed 12 games due to an injury.

Advertisement

The challenging aspect of this week for Fichtner is piecing together a game plan he can feel comfortable with when he has two young players starting on the right side of his line. Dotson will be lining up next to Okorafor, who will make his third career start at right tackle. His first career start in 2018 came against the Broncos in Denver. He also started once last season against the Rams. 

Once one of the most stable position groups on the team, the offensive line has gone through some drastic changes since last season ended. In the regular-season finale against the Ravens, the starting five from left to right was: Villanueva, Ramon Foster, Finney, DeCastro and Feiler. The only player lining up in his same position against the Broncos will be Villanueva.

That’s a lot of change with Roethlisberger coming off elbow surgery. And it’s likely the reason Fichtner and coach Mike Tomlin used the word “angst” in describing their feelings on a rookie starting. For the Steelers, this is foreign territory.  

Where were the deep balls?

James Conner carries Monday night against the Giants.
Brian Batko
James Conner plans to play in Week 2, doesn't care if he starts

Roethlisberger’s longest completion against the Giants was for 28 yards, a back-shoulder fade to rookie Chase Claypool along the sidelines. Not only did not complete a deep ball in his first game back from reconstructive elbow surgery; he didn’t even attempt one.

But it wasn’t so much Roethlisberger not wanting to take deep shots as much as him taking what the Giants were giving to him. The Steelers entered the game thinking they might have some opportunities for big plays down the field because the book on defensive coordinator Patrick Graham was that he liked to play a lot of man-to-man coverage.

But Graham, who coordinated Miami’s defense last season, gave the Steelers a lot of zone defenses with two deep safeties — schemes that are designed to prevent big plays down the field . The counter from Roethlisberger was completing a lot of crossing routes underneath to Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

“I was kind of surprised,” Smith-Schuster said. “We had heard their defensive coordinator gave a lot of man and one-high [looks]. When we got out there, it was two-high, Tampa-2 shell defenses. We kind of changed our game plan around to adjust that. Hopefully, this week we get those opportunities for deep balls.”

Old-school approach

Game planning to shut down the opposing team’s running game might be viewed as an antiquated approach in today’s pass-happy NFL, but don’t count the Steelers’ Keith Butler among the new-school defensive coordinators.

Butler still has an old-school approach to drawing up game plans, and the one he drew up for Monday night’s 26-16 victory over the Giants worked to perfection. Butler didn’t want Giants running back Saquon Barkley to control the game, and he devised a scheme that completely took him out of it.

Barkley was held to 6 yards on 15 carries and was dropped for losses on eight of those attempts. That was one of the more amazing statistics from Week 1.

“A lot of people think it’s outdated,” Butler said. “I don’t. Everybody in the league comes in thinking the passing game is bigger and more exciting. They come in thinking people are going to throw the ball a little more. But if you look at the teams that had success last year, what did they do?

“You look at Tennessee and that big back they got. He got them pretty deep into the playoffs. You look at Kansas City. They have a good throwing team, but they did run the ball, too. You look at the Ravens. They were the top running team in the league, and they won our division. It’s still very important to us to stop the run and put them in situations when we know they’re going to throw the football and then defend them in those circumstances.”

Injury report

DeCastro and Wisniewski were the only players to miss practice Thursday. All others that missed Wednesday, including Diontae Johnson (toe), JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) and Stephon Tuitt (Achilles), went through full practices.

Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.

 

First Published: September 18, 2020, 9:00 a.m.
Updated: September 18, 2020, 9:39 a.m.

RELATED
Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner clutches his right knee late in the fourth quarter of Monday's game vs. the Giants.
Gerry Dulac
Gerry Dulac: On practice squads, Zach Banner and the elbow everyone is watching
Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb stands on the field before taking on the Tennessee Titans last week in Denver.
Brian Batko
Steelers-Broncos: Brian Batko's Week 2 scouting report
Steelers guard Kevin Dotson goes through warmups during practice last week at Heinz Field.
Gerry Dulac
Steelers rookie guard Kevin Dotson might be forced into the spotlight
Broncos quarterback Drew Lock
Adam Bittner
Weekend football betting guide: Steelers are big favorites again
Steelers offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor lines up during the first half of a game last season against the Los Angeles Rams.
Brian Batko
Steelers mailbag: Is this Chuks Okorafor's big audition?
Steelers running back James Conner loses control of a pass from Ben Roethlisberger in the first half  Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Ray Fittipaldo
Film study: A second look at James Conner’s tough day
Brothers Toke and Some Johnsen of Denmark drink beers together while tailgating and enjoying their first time in Pittsburgh before a Steelers game in 2018 at Heinz Field.
Anthony Conroy
Tailgating will not be allowed Sunday on North Shore
SHOW COMMENTS (6)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Penguins hall of fame broadcaster Mike Lange works the play-by-play during the Alumni game at Heinz Field on Dec. 31, 2010.
1
sports
Mike Lange, longtime Penguins broadcaster, dies at 76
Mike Lange be­gan an­nounc­ing for the Penguns in 1974.
2
sports
How the hockey world is reacting to the death of Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange
Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange during a press conference at Consol Energy Center.
3
sports
Jason Mackey: What Mike Lange meant to me, and why we must carry on his incredible legacy
Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah helped writers of "The Pitt" with her perspective working in emergency medicine.
4
a&e
'It's very real,' says the Pittsburgh ER doctor who consulted on 'The Pitt' TV show
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, GM Kevin Colbert and president Art Rooney II watch afternoon practice Friday, July 27, 2018, at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
5
sports
Brian Batko’s Steelers mailbag: Should there have been a better long-term plan at quarterback?
Steelers guard Kevin Dotson trains at Heinz Field in August.  (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers
Advertisement
LATEST sports
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story