Dolphins 2016 offensive line preview: Branden Albert
The Miami Dolphins signed offensive lineman Branden Albert to a 5-year free agent contract in 2015. Albert will serve as the team’s starting left tackle in 2016.
Branden Albert has been on the Dolphins’ roster since joining the team as an unrestricted free agent on March 12, 2014. After playing for the Kansas City Chiefs for the first six years of his NFL career, the Dolphins signed Albert to a five-year, $47 million contract in 2014, including an $8.5 million signing bonus, $29 million guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $9.4 million. The Dolphins signed Albert in 2014 after failing to agree to a trade for Albert with the Chiefs in 2013. Albert’s signing was expected to give the Dolphins’ consistently upgraded play at the left tackle spot.
2015 review
Albert started all 14 of the games that he played in during the 2015 season. He missed two games during the early part of the season with a hamstring injury that he suffered during the fourth quarter of the Week 2 game against Jacksonville. A knee injury resulted in him playing only 9 games in 2014.
Albert’s performance in 2015 was more in line with the Dolphins’ expectations when they signed him to his free agent contract. With the Dolphins acting primarily as a passing team during the 2015 season, Albert did a solid job protecting Ryan Tannehill’s blindside. In fact, Albert’s play was good enough to earn him an alternate spot on the Pro Bowl roster, and he made the trip to Hawaii, demonstrating that he had no significant end-of-the-year injuries.
2015 stats
14 starts in 14 games played at left tackle.
2016 preview
The upcoming season could be an interesting one for Albert and the Dolphins, particularly if Albert remains healthy. The Dolphins used their first round pick to draft Laremy Tunsil, a highly touted left tackle from Ole Miss. The Dolphins could elect to move Tunsil to left tackle in 2017, and if they waive Albert, they would save approximately $6 million in salary cap space (releasing Albert in 2017 would save the team approximately $9 million in cap space). Doing so would result in the Dolphins needing to once again fill the left guard spot.
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Looking forward to the season ahead, Albert recently stated that he thinks the line can be pretty good and is encouraged by the amount of depth now present on the line compared to past seasons. He stated that the key will be the starters’ health: “[O]nce we all stay healthy, we stay cohesive, and we find the right the five, I believe we could be a heck of an offensive line.” For the full, five question and answer session, see http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/article-1/Five-Questions-With-Branden-Albert/bc38da53-f87e-462a-9666-22c1b0ae900d.
Professional career
Albert was originally the second of the Chiefs’ first-round draft picks (15th overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft. The Chiefs then designated Albert as their franchise player on March 4, 2013.