Los Angeles Rams right guard Kevin Dotson has developed into one of the league’s most underrated offensive linemen. Dotson had a strong 2025 campaign, allowing a 3.84% pressure rate, the 11th-lowest rate among right guards, along with three sacks while posting a 90.3 run-blocking grade (third-highest among qualified guards) and an 87.3 PFF grade (third-highest) across 17 games. He missed Weeks 17 and 18 and the Wild Card Round with a right ankle sprain.
Kevin Dotson enters the final year of his three-year, $48 million deal. He is scheduled to earn an $8 million base salary, an $8 million roster bonus for being on the roster past March 15, $16 million in cash, and a $17.4 million cap hit. The 29-year-old Dotson is expected to play out the final year of his contract unless something happens contractually.
The Los Angeles Rams’ $48 million star could become a first-time Pro Bowler
Nov 26, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams guard Kevin Dotson (69) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
In a Sports Illustrated article, Conor Orr identified eight NFL players who could become first-time Pro Bowlers heading into the 2026 NFL season. He named Kevin Dotson, noting that Andrew Whitworth is the only Pro Bowl offensive lineman coached by Sean McVay in Los Angeles. Orr also added that the offense ranked first in EPA per play and EPA per rush before Dotson injured his ankle in Week 16. While acknowledging Dotson faces a difficult path to making the Pro Bowl with Chris Lindstrom and Tyler Smith in the NFC, Orr argued it’s time for him to get the recognition he deserves.
“I am still surprised every time I look this up: Sean McVay, as a head coach, has had only one Pro Bowl offensive lineman. That was Andrew Whitworth, in McVay’s inaugural season. This is for a few reasons. In the NFC, it’s been nearly impossible for an offensive lineman to break through for almost the entirety of the past decade. The Cowboys and Eagles combined, along with Trent Williams and Penei Sewell, have created a kind of human blockade around the Pro Bowl. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that some of the best offensive line performances on a yearly basis come from the Rams,” Orr said.
“One can make a chicken-or-the-egg type argument here as to whether they are simply pawns for the greatest modern-era play-caller, or if the Rams, as the team does at wide receiver, have a knack for finding good offensive linemen below the radar. Alaric Jackson, for example, was an undrafted free agent. Had he not been facing a potential suspension at the start of the season, I would have considered him a 1A alongside Dotson, who missed some or all of the team’s final three regular-season games. The Rams came into those games as the best offense in the NFL in terms of EPA per play and in rush EPA. When Dotson was hurt, the Rams were 16th in EPA per rush. He’s not the sole factor but it’s an indication of how critical his presence was. Dotson has a difficult path to the Pro Bowl with the likes of Chris Lindstrom and Tyler Smith within the division, but it’s about time some of McVay’s linemen get the recognition they deserve. “
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