Miami Dolphins to start Branden Albert Sunday
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins will have an important member back on the roster for opening day. Branden Albert. The team itself has not named him the starter but Albert told members of the media that he has been practicing with the starters the last week and that they (media) can figure it out from there.
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Albert’s presence is important given the questions on the offensive line. One of those questions was whether or not Albert would be able to play after suffering an ACL injury last season. Albert missed all of training camp, all of organized team activities, and mini camps. He only started practicing after training camp broke and he made no appearances in pre-season.
Nor should he have.
Albert will protect the blind-side of Ryan Tannehill but more importantly he will provide starting left guard Dallas Thomas valuable assistance and coaching from the line. Thomas is entering a critical season of his own. After two bad seasons he has looked much more comfortable and has improved this past off-season. Without the benefit of Albert. In week three of pre-season, Thomas lined up at left tackle and did a decent job there as well.
With the season ready to start the Dolphins needed to get their players back. Albert was the main concern. The Washington Redskins defensive front is good but not great however Ryan Kerrigan will be rushing from the outside and had 14.5 sacks in 2014. He will present a big return challenge for Albert.
The Dolphins do not seem too concerned over the rehab process but Albert has said that he is not as fluid as he would like to be and that his conditioning and work is not where it should be. That’s expected and understood and time, playing time, should help that. He will be playing this Sunday.