Dotson Staying with Rams: 3yrs, $48M / $32M Guaranteed

[dang]

He played center 2 of the 3 years he was in college. He can certainly play center if that is where he is needed. I'd say the only reason we should do this is if we draft one of those top OT's and still retain Jackson. Bump the rookie OT to OG and bump Avila to C. That should improve our line from last season and set us up for a OT of the future.

Best 5 OL combo starts. IMO even if we resign AJax or Shelton we will only have 3 locked in prior to the Draft. Not 4. Not 5.
So I want to see another OL draft pick in R1 or R2. Problem is I rarely get what I want but I often get what I deserve.

 

[Merlin]

I’m not going to be greedy but the Rams must draft one OL with either their R1 or R2 pick.

For LT:
-R1 LT could start this year. Kick Ajax into LG. Avilla to OC.
-R2 LT can understudy this year. Let Ajax start and move him to RT when Hav moves on
For OC:
-Slight trade down and pick up JPJ in later R1.
-If JPJ falls use R2 to pick up Frazier or Beebe. Frazier would start at OC. Beebe could start at LG. Kick Avilla into OC.

FEED THE BEAST!!!

Possibly yes. Or sign Smith. I know the dude has been hurt but he can lock it down and the Rams have a good swing OT. A playoff run with him healthy would be much like what we did with Von. Meaning right time right player.

Also I don't know that he'll be insanely expensive. That injury history will adjust the value I am sure.

 

[Merlin]

That's proving your point? Seriously? Do guards never get beat in pass pro? And it was a completed pass?

No one is saying he doesn't need to work on some stuff but the best guards get beat from time to time. But he was simply one of the best guards overall last year. You don't just throw that production out in hopes of finding something better. I guarantee you can find "proof" that HOF guards miss blocks from time to time - even in the biggest moments.

Y'know what? That was also a "biggest moment" for that D-lineman. It's the D-lineman's job to set up the guard so that he can get by his counterpart. I suppose by your metrics, if he gets stonewalled once then he is a crappy D-lineman. Stafford threw some pick sixes. He obviously sucks. Kupp dropped a couple passes. Get rid of him. Kyren fumbled the ball. Fucking stiff. Donald didn't have a single sack in that game. There's got to be someone better to replace him..................

I changed my mind on Dotson when I realized that his pass pro being good isn't a recent thing. So yeah I agree the guy has been excellent in that regard and he has the power you want for the run game so here's hoping he keeps improving.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I anyone is interested, OTC has the details of the Dotson contract.

If accurate, it has a fairly-high 2024 cap hit of $12.7M.

Spotrac has really dropped-the-ball this week. Has still not up-dated for the Coleman Shelton opt-out; and that was five days ago. OTC updated last Saturday. As a result, the two site reflect very different numbers, with Spotrac not currently reflecting Shelton as a free agent or Dotson under contract.

 

[Tumak61]

This is the best Guard situation the Rams have had since Herc/Newberry.

 

[Merlin]

This is the best Guard situation the Rams have have since Herc/Newberry.

That was fun when Newberry came in. Dude was built like an ape with those arms. But yes it feels great to know our guards are gonna lock shit down.

 

[dang]

Possibly yes. Or sign Smith. I know the dude has been hurt but he can lock it down and the Rams have a good swing OT. A playoff run with him healthy would be much like what we did with Von. Meaning right time right player.

Also I don't know that he'll be insanely expensive. That injury history will adjust the value I am sure.

So say goodbye to Note and keep AJax as swing?
And what about max pay for Smith? 1yr/$10m? 2yr/$16m?

 

[OldSchool]

 

[Merlin]

So say goodbye to Note and keep AJax as swing?
And what about max pay for Smith? 1yr/$10m? 2yr/$16m?

In that event I would guess they let Jackson leave, i.e. lowest tender. Some team will snap him up. But they wouldn't do that unless they have something lined up they really like. As in Smith coming on day one of FA, or they are very confident a LT will be there at 19.

 

[OldSchool]

$24 million guaranteed at signing. His $7 million base this year is guaranteed. A $4.25 million signing bonus is guaranteed. A $4.25 million roster bonus in 2024 is guaranteed as is his $8.5 million 2025 roster bonus.

After that if on the roster day 3 of the 2025 league year his $8 million base is guaranteed bringing the guarantee up to $32 million. Base salaries of $7m and 8M the last 2 years.

Unguaranteed roster bonus of $8 million in 2026 and his $8 million base that year are the only non guaranteed moneys so it's really a 2 year 32 million or even a 1 year $24 million.

 

[Memento]

No Avila to center. Absolutely not. He’s too valuable at Guard.

Resign Shelton and AJ,

If you can only sign one, draft the others replacement. The OL gelled perfectly. Don’t fuck it up by moving people around.

He'd be even more valuable as a center; that's the position he started out in at TCU. I get that JPJ is tempting, but Avila could be the one to make us forget all about Creed. I'm dead serious. As useful as he is at guard, I'd love him even more if he was just as good at center, the position where he was projected as during his draft year.

And then you have someone like Cooper Beebe at left guard, who is as solid a guard as Avila was.

That's just my thoughts.

 

[VegasRam]

I fucking love it! I guessed $15 mil per year so not far off. My whole offseason revolved around getting Dotson resigned so I am happy as can be right now.

Was your avatar did it - Bravo!

 

[Merlin]

$24 million guaranteed at signing. His $7 million base this year is guaranteed. A $4.25 million signing bonus is guaranteed. A $4.25 million roster bonus in 2024 is guaranteed as is his $8.5 million 2025 roster bonus.

After that if on the roster day 3 of the 2025 league year his $8 million base is guaranteed bringing the guarantee up to $32 million. Base salaries of $7m and 8M the last 2 years.

Unguaranteed roster bonus of $8 million in 2026 and his $8 million base that year are the only non guaranteed moneys so it's really a 2 year 32 million or even a 1 year $24 million.

Looks like @oldnotdead was far closer than I thought he'd be with his $7M base thoughts. This is a good deal for the Rams I think. I am surprised they got that done early at that cost. Not sure why he wouldn't hit FA but of course the agents probably have good team sources that feed them rough numbers.

Either way nice to see him retained now vice him hitting the market. What a nice feeling it is to not have a hole at RG again looming over the team going into the draft.

Jackson it would be good if they suck it up and tender him at round 2. If not then it will mean they have a plan they feel real good about.

Looking forward to our OL starting the season in actual good form vs the typical slow start BS. We might be able to chase a top seed this year if they can get enough pieces on the defense.

 

[Ram65]

I wanted Dotson to resign. It was a priority. This is great news to keep the O Line on an upward trajectory at a reasonable price.

Also, a great discussion on the Rams options of moving players around the O Line. I would keep the OG at their current positions. As the Rams have done in the past they could experiment with moving Avila to OC in training camp. The Rams like to keep their options open. I don't like changing what has been working.

 

[HitStick]

He'd be even more valuable as a center; that's the position he started out in at TCU. I get that JPJ is tempting, but Avila could be the one to make us forget all about Creed. I'm dead serious. As useful as he is at guard, I'd love him even more if he was just as good at center, the position where he was projected as during his draft year.

And then you have someone like Cooper Beebe at left guard, who is as solid a guard as Avila was.

That's just my thoughts.

He started out as a center, but was better as a guard, which is why he was moved.

Cooper Beebe only played tackle.

We need to stop over thinking it. We have two solid guards. Draft true center.

 

[Memento]

He started out as a center, but was better as a guard, which is why he was moved.

Cooper Beebe only played tackle.

We need to stop over thinking it. We have two solid guards. Draft true center.

Avila mostly played center in college and earned First Team All-Big-Twelve honors as a center. We don't know if he's better at guard or center; we haven't tried him at center because Coleman Shelton and Brian Allen were there. Now they're likely not, so why not move the guy who already played center to center?

Not true. Beebe played all fourteen games at left guard in 2022, only playing left tackle because he was K-State's best O-lineman. He is projected to be a guard because of his T-rex arms. Beebe is a left guard, period.

The centers in this class are good, but I'd rather have the big guy at center. Avila is that big guy, and I don't want to rely on a rookie or McAllister or whomever.

Draft Cooper Beebe. Your offensive line is A-Jax at left tackle, Beebe at left guard, Avila at center, Dotson at right guard, and Havenstein at right tackle. I don't know about you, but to me, that sounds like a line that can utterly bully the 69ers of the NFL.

 

[OldSchool]

Avila mostly played center in college and earned First Team All-Big-Twelve honors as a center. We don't know if he's better at guard or center; we haven't tried him at center because Coleman Shelton and Brian Allen were there. Now they're likely not, so why not move the guy who already played center to center?

Not true. Beebe played all fourteen games at left guard in 2022, only playing left tackle because he was K-State's best O-lineman. He is projected to be a guard because of his T-rex arms. Beebe is a left guard, period.

The centers in this class are good, but I'd rather have the big guy at center. Avila is that big guy, and I don't want to rely on a rookie or McAllister or whomever.

Draft Cooper Beebe. Your offensive line is A-Jax at left tackle, Beebe at left guard, Avila at center, Dotson at right guard, and Havenstein at right tackle. I don't know about you, but to me, that sounds like a line that can utterly bully the 69ers of the NFL.

Agreed people need to stop over thinking it. Avilla was exceptional at guard so don't try to fix what aint broken. We can in fact get a big guy at center and upgrade the position while keeping our two good guards.

 

[HitStick]

Avila mostly played center in college and earned First Team All-Big-Twelve honors as a center.

incorrect.

“Avila was a second-team all-conference pick in 2021, starting 11 games at center. He moved to left guard in 2022 with the addition of SMU transfer Alan Ali and garnered second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team all-Big 12 honors as a 15-game starter for the playoff-bound Horned Frogs. He didn't allow a single sack in 515 pass-blocking snaps in his final season at TCU.”

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/steve-avila/32004156-4938-1004-f099-2e0d50c5f73d

So, he did perform better as a guard. Draft a true center, and bully the 49ers. Moving Avila to center just to draft a guard is basically just moving him to move him.

 

[oldnotdead]

So say goodbye to Note and keep AJax as swing?

The Rams have said they are trying to rework Joe's contract because they want to keep him. He has value at swing because he can play both sides at OT and OG. Jackson refused to play anywhere except LT which is why I think he's gone in 2025 and they draft his replacement to polish while Jackson plays on a tender.

An original draft position tender is the lowest of the 3 tiers. It's especially interesting when the player is an UDFA orginally. It means if he's offered a contract by another team the Rams have to match which I don't expect they would do and would get nothing in return. If the Rams intended to keep Alaric next year they would have tendered him at least at a second round level. IMO Jackson's attitude reflecting a lack of being a team player in direct contrast to Joe who was willing to play any position. Alaric's clear lack of improvement in his technique was also probably factored into their decision.

His tender reflects a team attitude of not caring if he leaves. That indicates to me that they would simply play Noteboom as a bridge or the rookie they intend to draft. It's why I expect the Rams to take a LT in the second or third round. CB is probably a higher priority however.

Personally I don't think the Rams think edge is the priority some think it should be. I feel CB and LT are higher on their list. If they simply leave Hoecht at DE and quit moving him around he has the talent to be a pretty decent DE. As a rotational DE he had 5 sacks and a bunch of pressures. That's from a guy that is converting from playing as a DT. Give him a chance to fully develop as a DE and I think he could be a decent player. He would have to lose about 25 lbs to play OLB. That would allow him to regain his speed. As a DE if he dropped 15 lbs he would be fine. Quickness and strength count for more than long speed at DE.

I think the lack of QB pressure on the DL had more to do with the scheme Morris played than the players they had. When they played one gap more often then not they got home.

 

[Flatlyner]

The Rams have said they are trying to rework Joe's contract because they want to keep him. He has value at swing because he can play both sides at OT and OG. Jackson refused to play anywhere except LT which is why I think he's gone in 2025 and they draft his replacement to polish while Jackson plays on a tender.

An original draft position tender is the lowest of the 3 tiers. It's especially interesting when the player is an UDFA orginally. It means if he's offered a contract by another team the Rams have to match which I don't expect they would do and would get nothing in return. If the Rams intended to keep Alaric next year they would have tendered him at least at a second round level. IMO Jackson's attitude reflecting a lack of being a team player in direct contrast to Joe who was willing to play any position. Alaric's clear lack of improvement in his technique was also probably factored into their decision.

His tender reflects a team attitude of not caring if he leaves. That indicates to me that they would simply play Noteboom as a bridge or the rookie they intend to draft. It's why I expect the Rams to take a LT in the second or third round. CB is probably a higher priority however.

Personally I don't think the Rams think edge is the priority some think it should be. I feel CB and LT are higher on their list. If they simply leave Hoecht at DE and quit moving him around he has the talent to be a pretty decent DE. As a rotational DE he had 5 sacks and a bunch of pressures. That's from a guy that is converting from playing as a DT. Give him a chance to fully develop as a DE and I think he could be a decent player. He would have to lose about 25 lbs to play OLB. That would allow him to regain his speed. As a DE if he dropped 15 lbs he would be fine. Quickness and strength count for more than long speed at DE.

I think the lack of QB pressure on the DL had more to do with the scheme Morris played than the players they had. When they played one gap more often then not they got home.

2 points about your post; they haven't finalized Alaric's tender, so we have no idea how they feel about him or it. Hoecht wasn't tendered at all, thus he isn't on this team.

I can't see how the Rams can't think edge is a priority. We have almost no actual body with a pulse to play opposite Young. Cannot have any confidence in Hampton or Mathis, since we saw so very little of them. If Edge and CB are not on their minds as the most pressing needs they either already have a plan with FA or they are looking at the wrong roster sheet.