Kevin Dotson again takes 1st-team reps at left guard at Steelers practice

Has the training-camp rotation at left guard come to an end for the Pittsburgh Steelers? Has a starter been chosen?

That’s not known definitively. But Kevin Dotson confirmed that for the second consecutive practice, he ran with the first-team offense Wednesday. That’s notable because over the first four weeks of camp on days when both Dotson and Green were healthy the two rotated by series, drill or — at most — day. So, especially when coupled with the circumstantial evidence of Green’s poor showing in this past week’s preseason game, this could signal Dotson has won one of the few true starting position battles on the team.

“I’m not gonna say nothing until the first (regular-) season game,” Dotson said when asked if Wednesday’s development meant he would open the season as the starter. “If it happens, it happens and I will be happy if it does.”

Dotson declared himself “ready” if he is named the starter.

“Just (because of) the work that I put in,” he said after practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I feel like I have done pretty good. I could do better, an always-improving type thing, but I feel pretty good.”

Dotson started 13 games over his first two NFL seasons since being a fourth-round pick of the Steelers in 2020. The past 11 of those starts have come at left guard, but none since the midway point of last season, when Dotson suffered an ankle injury that ended his season. Though Dotson was activated off of injured reserve late to practice, the Steelers started John Leglue the final five games of their season.

Green was a rookie starter at center last year.

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