Looking ahead to the 2027 offseason, the Los Angeles Rams are going to have some difficult decisions to make. While they will have around $78.2 million in cap space, they also have several free agents they will likely try to bring back. Given their salary cap constraints, it’s highly unlikely that the Rams will be able to bring back everybody.

One of those decisions is whether the Rams should bring back Steve Avila or Kevin Dotson. Both players are set to hit free agency and will be top guard options if they become available. According to Spotrac, Avila’s market value is set at $13.5 million while Dotson is at $19.4 million. 

Coming into the season, it was still up in the air who the Rams might bring back one of those two players. With that said, given Avila’s injury history and inconsistency, combined with Dotson’s importance to the run game, the veteran may have had the upper hand.

While Avila has been a promising young player, he’s dealt with injuries and had some lapses in pass protection over the past few years. Meanwhile, when Dotson was out last year, the Rams’ run game went from averaging 4.8 yards per carry down to 4.0. 

Kevin Dotson's Struggles Change the Equation for Rams

However, through the first six weeks of the season, the outlook may have changed significantly. Dotson has taken a significant step back, and with the Rams at 2-4, that may change how they approach the offseason.

Pro Football Focus certainly isn’t the be-all and end-all, but even on tape, Dotson has struggled. Among the Rams’ starting five offensive linemen, Dotson’s overall grade of 55.5 is the lowest. Additionally, Dotson’s pass-blocking grade of 44.5 is almost 20 points worse than the Rams’ next closest offensive lineman. That ranks 48th out of 55 qualifying guards this season as well. 

Being able to protect from the interior is very important at this point in Matthew Stafford’s career. At 38 years old, Stafford isn’t able to escape the pocket as easily as he used to. Dotson has allowed a 4.9 percent pressure rate, which is 1.2 percentage points higher than Avila’s this season. 

He’s also taken a step back in the run gameIn 2025, Dotson was PFF’s third-highest-graded run-blocking offensive lineman. Dotson was fourth in 2024. This season, Dotson’s 62.8 run-blocking grade ranks 30th among guards.

Adding Context to Kevin Dotson's Struggles

Overall, Dotson ranks 41st out of 55 guards this season via PFF. It’s very possible that Dotson isn’t 100 percent. Back in Week 3, he missed three snaps with an injury. He hasn’t missed a game, but that’s not to say that he’s been fully healthy. 

The play above is just one example, but Dotson has been on the losing end in pass protection a lot more than he has in the past. Pass protection hasn’t ever been his strength with the Rams, but it’s never been a liability. 

There’s also the aspect that Dotson isn’t playing next to a veteran right tackle like he has in the past. Over the past few seasons, Dotson and Rob Havenstein were dominant on the right side. While Dotson played alongside Warren McClendon last year, McClendon has also taken a step back. As Avila has continued playing alongside Alaric Jackson, Dotson is playing next to McClendon, who is in his first full season as a starter.

Steve Avila May Be the Better Long-Term Investment

With the Rams at 2-4 and it potentially being a lost season, it’s fair to wonder if that also changes how they approach the offseason. This past offseason, the Rams started to look at what life would be like after Stafford retires. They took Ty Simpson to be Stafford’s replacement, displaying that the Rams were at least beginning to prepare for the future.

If the Rams were in a spot where they were still committed to the aging core and that group came up just short again, bringing back a 30-year-old Dotson would make sense. Avila may be cheaper and he’s still just 27. The Rams may be able to get another three or four years from Avila in his prime. Avila also remains a steady top-20 guard. 

There is still plenty of time for Dotson to turn it around and prove that the first six weeks aren’t a sign of what’s to come. He’s arguably been the most important player on the Rams’ offensive line over the last two years. However, the Rams can’t make a decision based solely on past performance. 

With Avila younger, playing better, and potentially cheaper, the Rams may need to reconsider which guard they build around. What looked like a decision that favored Dotson entering the season may now be trending in the opposite direction.