We weren't surprised to see the Pittsburgh Steelers release the names from their first wave of roster cuts. By Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, all NFL teams must be roster compliant, and this front office still has dozens of roster decisions to make. On Sunday evening, the Steelers cleared up one more space on their roster.
Brooke Pryor of ESPN announced that the Steelers had traded offensive guard Kevin Dotson, to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a pair of pick swaps. This move not only opens up a spot on the roster but also causes a ripple effect.
A Kevin Dotson trade wasn't totally unexpected, and it's one that we predicted would happen as early as the 2023 NFL Draft. Now the roster outlook is slightly different, and these three Pittsburgh Steelers are benefiting the most from the decision to ship Dotson to LA.
Spencer Anderson is now a Steelers roster lock
If he wasn't before, we can leave no doubt now that Spencer Anderson is a lock to make this roster for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the decision to trade Dotson is more important than you might realize. Previously, Anderson may have made the roster initially, but if injuries occurred at other positions, he may have been one of the first players to be released and signed to the practice squad. Now he might be here to stay.
Anderson did about as well as you could expect from a late seventh-round pick to perform this summer, and he showcased his position flexibility. Now Anderson will have the luxury of being a depth piece on the Steelers roster who can practice and continue to learn multiple positions rather than trying to work his way up from the practice squad.
This route is certainly better for his career path. If he can keep improving at the rate he has so far. Anderson could be more than just an offensive lineman buried on the depth chart; he could be a quality swing player in the event of an injury. At least he will be given that shot with Kevin Dotson now gone.