Albert to sign tender but still not close on long term deal
 

CHIEFS
Branden Albert to sign one-year contract with Chiefs
March 18
BY ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Left tackle Branden Albert told the Chiefs on Monday he planned to sign their one-year contract offer worth about $9.83 million. Once he signs the deal, Albert will be bound to join the Chiefs for their mandatory mini-camp in June and then for the start of training camp in July.

Beyond that, his situation with the Chiefs remained unclear. The Chiefs and Albert could still negotiate a contract that would keep Albert in Kansas City for a longer term, though Albert recently told the Kansas City Star the sides were not close to an agreement on a multi-year contract before Albert was designated as the franchise player two weeks ago.

General manager John Dorsey expressed a preference for having the player at a prominent position like left tackle under contract for the long term.

“That would make a lot of sense regardless of who it is,” said Dorsey, who wouldn’t confirm that Albert had informed the team of his plans to sign the one-year contract. “You’d like to have some stability at that position.”

Even if the Chiefs and Albert don’t agree on terms of a long-term contract and he plays the season under his one-year deal, the Chiefs would still face some uncertainty about the future of a most important position.

For that reason, the possibility of selecting a left tackle like Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M or Eric Fisher of Central Michigan with the first pick in the draft would seem to be still in play.

If the Chiefs draft either Joeckel or Fisher with their first pick, Albert could be asked to switch positions. The Chiefs have a vacancy at right tackle after releasing last year’s starter, Eric Winston.

Albert, who played guard in college at Virginia, recently said he wouldn’t change positions to accommodate another player.

“I’ll be playing left tackle,” he said.

By signing the one-year deal, Albert would also open the possibility the Chiefs could trade him. A player cannot be traded unless he has a contract for the upcoming season.

The Chiefs were obligated to make the one-year contract offer worth almost $10 million to Albert when they designated him as their franchise player. By using the franchise designation on Albert, the Chiefs were able to effectively keep him off the free-agent market.

Albert, a first-round draft pick of the Chiefs in 2008, has developed into one of the league’s better left tackles.

Trade his sorry ass away and take a LT in the 1st. That's what I would do. Who's with me?

Goodluck on your next team Albert.

Be prepared for the Chiefs to make a lateral move with the #1 pick.

My plan as GM would be to not put a better product on the field than the team that went 2-14 last season, so I'm totally with you. Trade two seconds for mediocre QB to replace your mediocre QB? Nice, but not quite enough. Let your legit NFL LT go so you can use your #1 overall pick on another LT? Just enough to not be any better.

:thumb:

Should have given Colquitt's money to Albert.

Adam Teicher is incapable of writing anything longer than 50 words without typing the words Luke Joeckel. Everytime he's on the radio, it's Luke Joeckel. When he pulls out his thimble and neosporin in his studio apartment at night, he screams out Luke Joeckel. He logs onto Fathead.com every night and types the words Luke Joeckel, waiting in anticipation for when he can put his Luke Joeckel fathead onto his wall.

agree, makes no ****ing sense

I'll be honest - if we still can't come to an agreement after the Long contract, then what more can Reid and Dorsey do?

They can't make him sign a deal and they can't very well go without a LT in 2014.

So while I would still far prefer a trade down, this isn't like letting Albert walk and taking Joeckel - right now Albert is forcing their hand.

The market on a long term contract for a premier pass-blocking LT has been set by Long and Brown over the last 2 years. If Albert won't come to it, then you have to let him go and plan accordingly.

But again, I'd still far prefer that we trade down and take Lane Johnson. In the end, though, we need dance partners for both scenarios - Albert for the LTC and trade partners for the trade-down.

I'm hopeful and optimistic that we'll find both.

Ya know...if we don't trade Albert, we are gonna have a sick offensive line next year.

Albert
Swartz
Hudson
Asamoah
Fisher

I mean, damn. That line should dominate the LOS once the get some jelly.

The thought of not trading Albert and drafting a RT makes me puke.

If the QB isn't willing to hit the window when it flashes open, it will matter not.

Hudson's knee exploded and he was never very good anyway. It's hard to really get excited about the possibility of him returning to the below average levels he had set for himself before his knee shattered.

I'm at a loss for why people continue to write Hudson into this O-line. He's a guy we should be seeking starter quality depth to cover for if nothing else.

The line does need help and anyone that is militantly anti O-line isn't paying much attention. That said, it's just not a very efficient use of the pick.

Thought Hudson just broke his leg
Posted via Mobile Device

and by this logic you have wasted

1st rounder on Fisher
2nd rounder on Jeff Allen sitting the bench
3rd rounder on Donald Stephenson sitting the bench

great use of draft picks Chiefs!