Details on Branden Albert's contract situation coming into focus

By Joel Thorman on Feb 5, 10:48a 195


http://cdn1.sbnation.com/uploads/cho...dard_709.0.jpgJohn Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

A new report from 610 Sports' Danny Parkins says Chiefs left tackle Branden Albert wants to be paid like a top left tackle. What does that mean and how much will it cost?

Slowly but surely we're starting to glean more information about the situation with Branden Albert and the Kansas City Chiefs. Danny Parkins of 610 Sports reports Albert wants to stay in Kansas City ... but doesn't want to take a hometown discount.
<center><hr style="clear: both; border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 2em; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Albert: 'I'm not a guard. Point blank.' | All free agency news and rumors
<hr style="clear: both; border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 2em; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
</center>I'm not sure if anyone actually expected him to take a hometown discount. That's a thing that's talked about a lot but it doesn't happen very often.

Parkins also reported on 610 Sports that Albert wants to be paid like a top five left tackle.

So what does that mean?

It means roughly $10 million per year, or more, depending on the contract.

In 2011 Joe Thomas signed a record-breaking eight-year, $92 million deal with the Browns.
In 2010 D'Brickashaw Ferguson signed an eight-year, $73 million deal with the Jets.
In 2010 Donald Penn signed six-year, $41.7 million deal with the Bucs.
In 2009 Michael Roos signed a six-year, $43 million deal with theTitans.
In 2009 Jordan Gross signed a six-year, $60 million deal with thePanthers.

Perhaps the most comparable player to Albert is the Broncos' Ryan Clady. He was drafted three spots before Albert in the 2008 NFL Draft. We have some concerns about Albert's back given last season and Clady had a fairly serious knee injury in 2010.
Clady, last summer, reportedly turned down a five-year, $50 million contract.
Personally this doesn't surprise me at all. That $10+ million per year figure is about what I expected.
Now can -- or should -- the Chiefs lock him up?

And they just completely leave out the contract that Duane Brown signed in August of last year.

I guess it all comes down to his back and how the guarantees are lined up. If his back is ok, sign the guy long term and cross left tackle off the list. Just make sure there is stuff in the deal that allows the deal to be voided if his back continues to give him trouble.

If his back gives him more trouble, draft a left tackle in the next two drafts.

If his back gives him trouble.....put in Stephenson and see if he's worth holding onto.

Exactly.

The idea that you need a "great" left tackle to win a Super Bowl is as big a myth as "a quarterback is worth the 12th pick, but not the top overall pick"

The combination of Albert and Stephenson is as good, or better, than any starting left tackle of the recent Super Bowl winners.

And that's what makes a majority of our fans so reeruned.

EVEN if you believe that we should let Albert go.....not seeing what you have in Stephenson is even worse. Drafting Joekel would be a waste of 3 draft picks.

And the sack was given up in week 1 and that was it. He did miss most of the rest of the season from what was it like week 11? I cant remember. He's not injury prone but if KCs doctors say it checks out than sign him.

I bet Joeckel doesn't get picked until 5th by the Lions and hey may go with Eric Fisher instead.

KC - Albert
Jac - Monroe
Oak - Veldheer
Phi - Peters
Det - Backus/Reiff
Cle - Thomas
Ari - ???
Buf - ???
NY - brick
Tenn - Roos

I can't imagine Detriot taking a LT while Avril is a URFA and they just cut Vandenbosch. I'd expect them to take Werner or Moore.

I'd pay Albert that much in a heartbeat. Not only has he done very well against some really good pass rushers, but he's also been part of an incredible running game (especially when you consider that we've had no passing game).

Pay. The. Man.

In fact, I don't buy either/or but I'd choose Albert over Bowe because of the implications of the draft that picking a turd like Joeckel would have for years to come.

Don't think he'll get past Philly. Peters is a big ?

$10 says Oakland trades down for peanuts with a team outside the top 10 who wants a LT. The Raiders have got to be desperate to get out of that pick if Geno is gone and Jacksonville takes the top passrusher.

I just looked up how many sacks Stafford took last year and ill agree with you. He was only sacked 29 times.

Arizona is QB hungry, but also needs a left tackle...I think Buffalo goes with either Nassib or Glennon.

Joeckel could drop out of the top ten...

Buffalo is gonna take Glennon.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Buffalo take Nassib as their new coach is from Syracuse...but Glennon would probably be the better choice.