Dolphins working on a trade for offensive tackle Branden Albert

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Branden Albert trade won’t happen unless he lowers his price
Posted by Michael David Smith on April 21, 2013, 6:46 PM EDT
Branden Albert AP

The much-discussed potential trade of Branden Albert from the Chiefs to the Dolphins doesn’t appear likely at the price Albert is currently seeking.

Although the Chiefs and Dolphins can probably agree on compensation — the Dolphins sending a second-round pick to Kansas City — the hangup is that Albert wants the kind of money that the Dolphins aren’t willing to spend. Specifically, according to Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports, Albert wants between $8 million and $9 million a year on a long-term deal.

In other words, Albert is looking for the same kind of contract that left tackle Jake Long got from the Rams — the very contract the Dolphins wouldn’t give Long, which is why he left Miami for St. Louis.

If the Dolphins weren’t willing to pay Long that kind of money, it’s hard to see why they’d be willing to give up a second-round draft pick for the privilege of paying Albert that kind of money. So the Dolphins may need to look elsewhere for a left tackle. And Albert may have to settle for playing this season for the Chiefs, making $9.8 million, and hitting free agency next year.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

So, they can't give him a physical next Friday, before the second round begins?

Care to explain why not?

To determine what they do Thursday night.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

To determine what they do Thursday night.

Well, in all honesty, I'm sure this scenario will have concluded before next Thursday but there are no absolutes in play at this point.

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by patteeu

OK, then you would agree that the following generalizations are pretty silly too, right?

Yes.


I think most generalizations are silly though. However, the lack of information/knowledge fans have regarding football/team philosophies/coaching, I don't really mind it. When people like to make ridiculous comparisons or post bland stats here without context to rationalize their point, it becomes irritating (see posts about Geno's 20+ accuracy, as an example).

I suppose the generalization could be made that LTs drafted early are more ready to step in and play from a fan's perspective and they'd have numerous instances to support that (Matt Kalil for example). However, that's probably due to a variety of different factors and doesn't mean that every LT drafted early is ready to go.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by SNR

Okay. YOU explain how my comment doesn't make sense with your second paragraph. I'm not getting it.

He asked if I had any expectations of a 1.1 pick. I said whoever you pick with that pick should be an immediate impact player. It had nothing to do with his relative worth compared to Branden Albert. It had nothing to do with whether he's a LT or a DL or a WR. I made a thinly veiled crack about you Geno groupies in that paragraph, but the truth is that the one exception I'd make for that rule is a QB. I'd be willing to sit through growing pains with a 1.1 QB if I believed he was the one.

[Sorter]

Another factor to consider is in comparison to most positions, there aren't a lot of technically deficient but super athletic prospects taken early for LTs and expected to contribute, as opposed to other positions (Poe, as an example). I would say that your closest comparison to that this year would be Terron Armstead but he isn't going above Joeckel, Fisher, or Johnson despite being more gifted athletically. You could see that happen with other positions though (again, Poe over Fletcher Cox last year) but generally, it doesn't happen with LT prospects in the 1st round.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Ponderception

Yes.


I think most generalizations are silly though. However, the lack of information/knowledge fans have regarding football/team philosophies/coaching, I don't really mind it. When people like to make ridiculous comparisons or post bland stats here without context to rationalize their point, it becomes irritating (see posts about Geno's 20+ accuracy, as an example).

I suppose the generalization could be made that LTs drafted early are more ready to step in and play from a fan's perspective and they'd have numerous instances to support that (Matt Kalil for example). However, that's probably due to a variety of different factors and doesn't mean that every LT drafted early is ready to go.

Yes, I agree. Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher might be a living example of that principle this year since Joeckel has a lot more experience against top notch competition whereas Fisher will be seeing a much bigger step up in talent across the line. I would assume that Joeckel will have a shorter learning curve, but that might be selling Fisher short.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

So, they can't give him a physical next Friday, before the second round begins?

Care to explain why not?

1) The Chiefs will have already drafted Joeckel or Fisher by then driving their leverage to the floor. If we intend to trade Albert, we need to do it before we draft in the first or else we are losing the biggest piece of leverage we have.

2) The Dolphins will be concentrating on the draft. Not on player visits and physicals.

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Yes, I agree. Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher might be a living example of that principle this year since Joeckel has a lot more experience against top notch competition whereas Fisher will be seeing a much bigger step up in talent across the line. I would assume that Joeckel will have a shorter learning curve, but that might be selling Fisher short.

Personally, I think Fisher due to where he played could improve quicker than Joeckel throughout the course of the year. Entirely speculation, as I've never met either of those two and have no idea about their learning capabilities.

[penbrook]

Per TJ Carpenter

Talked with John Dorsey after presser. On trading back up in 2nd, "I view it as, we used our 2nd round pick, and that's Alex Smith."

[KC_Lee]

Originally Posted by penbook

Per TJ Carpenter

Talked with John Dorsey after presser. On trading back up in 2nd, "I view it as, we used our 2nd round pick, and that's Alex Smith."

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by -King-

1) The Chiefs will have already drafted Joeckel or Fisher by then driving their leverage to the floor. If we intend to trade Albert, we need to do it before we draft in the first or else we are losing the biggest piece of leverage we have.

2) The Dolphins will be concentrating on the draft. Not on player visits and physicals.

If the Chiefs draft one of the top 3 LT prospects in the draft, it will reduce the chances that Miami can solve it's problem by trading up (or to put it another way, it will drive up the trade-up price a bit). When the 3rd prospect falls, anyone left in need of an OT might gain some interest in Albert as well.

So I'm not sure you're right that the Chiefs will have lost all their leverage. If we end up with both Albert and Joeckel/Fisher, we're in great OL shape.

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by penbook

Per TJ Carpenter

Talked with John Dorsey after presser. On trading back up in 2nd, "I view it as, we used our 2nd round pick, and that's Alex Smith."

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Ponderception

Why do I get the feeling I will be adding the following phrase to my sig line before the 2014 season:

Dorsey is *****. ***** is King Carl. Dorsey is a bum! We hired a bum again!

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Good lord. It's dumb to say that offensive line is one of the more plug and play positions in pro football. It's not. I'm not going to go round and round with you while you make excuses for each player I name.

Oh, **** off.

Left tackles that are drafted in the high first almost always start right away and play at a high level.

Clady
Long
Thomas

Now, does that mean it's ALWAYS the case? No, of course not...but far more first round OTs come in and play well right away than almost any other position.

The whole ****ing point is that we should want a major upgrade at a position with the top pick and the best we can probably hope for is how Albert played last year...it's a lateral move that saves cash and pays a second round dividend. Nothing more.

Originally Posted by penbook

Per TJ Carpenter

Talked with John Dorsey after presser. On trading back up in 2nd, "I view it as, we used our 2nd round pick, and that's Alex Smith."

In what context was this asked? In relation to taking a qb or something?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by -King-

1) The Chiefs will have already drafted Joeckel or Fisher by then driving their leverage to the floor. If we intend to trade Albert, we need to do it before we draft in the first or else we are losing the biggest piece of leverage we have.

I disagree. Most likely, Johnson and Fisher will be gone by the Dolphins #12 overall, so it would force them to make the trade.

Originally Posted by -King-

2) The Dolphins will be concentrating on the draft. Not on player visits and physicals.

Yeah, there's no way that a doctor could perform a physical next Friday before the draft starts at 6:30 EST.