From Rotoworld.....

Citing chatter at the NFL Owners Meetings, ESPN's John Clayton believes the Dolphins could acquire franchise player LT Branden Albert from the Chiefs in exchange for a second-round draft pick.
Albert signed his one-year, $9.828 million tender on Monday and is available for trade. Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland has a need at left tackle and two second-round picks: Nos. 42 and 54. Trading for Albert would likely also require Miami signing him to a long-term extension. The Dolphins have structured their free-agent contracts in a backloaded manner and still have $15 million in cap room.
Source: John Clayton on Twitter Mar 18 - 6:06 PM

Sounds good to me but how much is he going to cost us in a long ( no pun ) term deal? Does anyone know if he has an injury history?

No injury history and he is a beast and young but i think that we need to restructure Randy Starks first

If we wanted to throw that much money at a LT, we likely would have just outbid the Rams for Long....... right?

I'm happy we let Long walk. I'd be interested in this if a long term contract can be worked out

Unless there are injury issues with Jake and they just arent comfortable

This is all I could find on his injury history.....Had back issues but didn't miss games because of it!

Branden Albert 76 | Tackle
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
ProfileFantasyCareer StatsGame LogInjuriesSplitsPlayer News
2012 INJURIES
DATE POSITION INJURY STATUS
12/30/2012 T (back) Questionable
12/23/2012 T (back) Questionable
12/16/2012 T (back) Questionable
12/9/2012 T (back) Questionable
12/2/2012 T (back) Questionable
11/25/2012 T (back) Doubtful
11/12/2012 T (back) Questionable

Correction....he missed 3 games in 2012 but just 4 since 2008, the guy is durable! Trading for him would allow us to pick BPA and draft for luxury and not reach for need.
Does anyone know if he fits Philbins zone scheme?

I'd rather try to sign Vollmer or Winston for short term, prove it money. Save the 2nd round picks for secondary and line depth (replacing upcoming expiring contracts) and use the 12th pick on BPA.

Miami could also move up to get one of the big 3 left tackles.

I agree with Winston but Volmer has many injury issues himself so im off of him

Branden Albert is a proven commodity, while you are talking about trusting a rookie at OLT to protect your young 2nd year QB.

You are going to have to trade up to get one of those tackles in the draft. Why not trade for a proven player that is still young?

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There's a previous post on Lane Johnson, LT. I've made a comment there. Anyway, I think we are targeting Johnson as our first pick.

What makes since to me is a team like Jacksonville trades to get Albert and use their 1st Round Pick on another need.

I've been in favor of getting proven commodities. But I wonder about giving out picks and a big contract to a tackle who is nearing 30. If we are going proven then I'd prefer short money to Winston or Vollmer and a drafted guy to develop behind them. Let Martin, signed guy, and the drafted guy battle it out.

Albert is 28 years old and will not turn 29 until November.

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Yeah, not as old as I thought. Doesn't it make you a bit curious as to why KC would want to trade him?

I won't gripe about the move if they make it, would just prefer they keep the picks, especially with good CB, DL and OT depth in the 2nd round.

I would Jam under normal circumstances. But Andy Reid did such a horrible job of putting together a OL while in Philly the last few years.

I'm willing to take the chance for a 2nd round pick.

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TOTALLY AGREE!

I read Albert and Winston are a good fit in a zone blocking scheme and Andy Reid prefers man to man blocking.

Not saying I'd jump quickly, but it would be a move to seriously consider.

If they could fill the LT position for a 2nd round pick and a new contract I would do it ASAP. But I am afraid the new contract he would require is going to make the whole deal too expensive.

Do we necessarily need a LT? I think it depends on what they are seeing from Martin. He struggled last year, but never lost his starting job. Also, he's a better fit at LT than RT, so if he's not our LT, then he's probably not our RT either. From David Hyde today............

"One Dolphins official said he (Martin) started as a ‘D’ and upgraded to a ‘C’ at right tackle and was a ‘B’ his first day at left tackle. Martin initially thought he'd be a first-round pick last year until there were concerns about his strength. That's what he is working on this off-season. We’ll see how it ends up. Right tackle now becomes a priority for Jeff Ireland. The top free-agent thoughts include Eric Winston and Sebastian Vollmer."

It will be interesting to see how much we target a true LT in FA or the draft. If there's confidence in Martin, then we're not going to pay a big contract for a LT. Lane Johnson is extremely versatile and could play RT and provide insurance at the LT position.

I wouldn't make the trade unless he agrees to a long term deal.

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Supposedly there was a deal on the table for Jake Long. I think this contract would be in the same league.

Agreed........

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wow i called this one yesterday

Rich, do you have the metrics and the ranks for Albert over the past 2 years? I know he was a beast in college and a blue chip prospect but I haven't payed attention to him in Kansas City.
Is this guy worth it?

So Brandon Albert has all the same injury issues?

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2012 - 25th offensive tackle overall. 11th in pass blocking, 62nd in run blocking. Gave up 1 sack, 4 hits and 12 hurries.

2011 - 18th offensive tackle overall. 6th in pass blocking, 27th in run blocking. Gave up 5 sacks, 6 hits and 13 hurries.

Sounds like there is work to do in the run blocking department, but he is an upgrade over Long as a pass blocker.

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Wow, Albert's run blocking in 2012 was a considerable drop off from his 2011 ranking. I know the lineman put up with a lot of physical grappling all season long, but the fact that most of the season he had back issues is a concern that I expect the Dolphins brain trust researched.

Did the Chiefs use zone or man blocking?

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I found a previous link posted before the Chiefs last season.


http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/article-2/ ... b19d74d65a

So it seems as if Albert is a better fit in a man blocking scheme.

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Isn't the draft deep with tackles? I know rookies have a learning curve, but going through the draft is the cheaper option.

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I would rather keep the pick...

We definitely have enough picks to address tackle, cornerback and pass rusher in the first three rounds of the draft.

We can double down at corner and even pass rusher, or double down on offensive line by taking a tackle and a guard.

I like the draft Walters Football has for us..

1. Xavier Rhodes - CB
2. Terron Armstead - OT
2. Alex Okafor - DE
3. Gavin Escobar - TE
3. Justin Pugh - OG

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I love it but seems too good to be true. A lot of good hype surrounding Pugh right now, some at ESPN evening saying he could crack early 2nd round. Everyone on the list has the talent to start immediately.

I'd rather draft Lane Johnson in the 1st, draft D.J. Fluker in the 2nd, or sign Eric Winston to a short term deal. Albert is a very expensive option that would eat up the rest of our available cap.

A 2nd round pick AND a huge contract? I would rather save the pick and draft someone younger, and use that money to fill in the depth chart instead. Don't spend the money AND the pick on ONE GUY.

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Don't give up. Don't ever give up." - Jim Valvano

It's top heavy in tackles. After the top 3 it's a huge dropoff.
But some nice projects like Armstead and Jordan Mills and Brennan Williams.
Probbaly need a veteran for a year or 2 until those guys are ready.

Escobar and Pugh are going much higher than that.

I really do think the best case scenario would be giving one of our 3rd's to Cleveland or Buffalo to move up for Lane Johnson. He's a top notch tackle prospect who is only getting better.