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Branden Albert

Recent Signings Facing Former Teams In 2014

April 23rd, 2014 at 9:13pm CST by Rob DiRe

The 2014 NFL schedule has been released, and it gives us an interesting chance to see some players face their former teammates for the first time. Some of these players were traded or otherwise unwanted by their former teams, and others spurned their hometown fans for greener pastures elsewhere. In all cases, there are some fans or players who must be licking their chops to finally treat these players in their new colors as enemies for the first time.

The following players will get the chance to play against their former teams in 2014:

  • Matt Schaub will either get a chance to show up his replacement in Week 2, or possibly hope to avoid getting tormented by Jadeveon Clowney when the Texans visit the Raiders on September 14th (4:25 EST, CBS).
  • DeSean Jackson would love a chance to show the world the Eagles made a mistake, and he will return to Philadelphia for Week 3 on September 21st (1:00 EST, FOX). Jackson will get a second chance on Saturday, December 20th (4:30 EST, NFL Network/CBS).
  • Branden Albert got see Tamba Hali and Justin Houston in practice for years. He will get them in a game for the first time when the Dolphins host the Chiefs on September 21st (4:25 EST, CBS).
  • Julius Peppers can wreak some havoc in a new system in his former stadium when the Packers visit the Bears on September 28th (1:00 EST, FOX). Peppers will get a second chance in Green Bay on November 9th in primetime (8:30 EST, NBC).
  • Steve Smith told the fans to “Put your goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere,” when he signed with the Ravens. Well have your goggles ready for Week 4, when the Ravens host the Panthers on September 28th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Alex Smith didn’t get to see Jim Harbaugh last year, but will finally get his shot to go after his former coach when the Chiefs travel to face the 49ers on October 5th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Eric Decker will get to watch Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ offense churn on without him when the Broncos play the Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 12th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Brandon Spikes will have to be prepared for the Patriots after a contentious offseason, as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have been known to pick on players before. The Bills host the Patriots on October 12th (1:00 EST, CBS) and travel to New England on December 28th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Darrelle Revis will get to feast on a passing offense that struggled in 2013, and will likely invite Eric Decker to Revis Island when the Patriots host the Jets on Thursday Night Football on October 16th (8:25 EST, CBS/NFL Network). Revis will then get to return to a stadium filled with jeering fans on December 21st (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Jared Veldheer seemingly couldn’t leave Oakland quick enough, and the Raiders will host his Cardinals on October 19th (4:25 EST, FOX).
  • Jason Hatcher had a career season with the Cowboys in 2013, and now returns to a 3-4 defense hoping to build upon his great season against his former team when the Redskins head to Dallas for Monday Night Football on October 27th (8:30 EST, ESPN). His second meeting with the Cowboys will be in Week 17, when the Redskins host their rivals on December 28th (1:00 EST, FOX).
  • Aqib Talib took the money to switch from the AFC runner up to the AFC champion, and he will take part in his third Brady-Manning matchup, his first as a Bronco, on November 2nd (4:25 EST, CBS).
  • Hakeem Nicks looked like he hated playing with the Giants in 2013, and this is his chance at revenge after feeling mistreated by the Giants organization and fans when the Colts visit MetLife Stadium for Monday Night Football on November 3rd (8:30 EST, ESPN).
  • Jared Allen gets to tee off against the Vikings offensive line he has been practicing against for the past six years, and for the first time since 2007 will finally get to share the field with Adrian Peterson on November 16th when the Bears host the Vikings (1:00 EST, FOX). Allen will head back to Minnesota on December 28th (1:00, FOX).
  • Lovie Smith gets his shot to beat the team that fired him, and will bring former Bear Josh McCown with him to move the football against a no longer feared Bears defense on November 9th (1:00 EST, FOX).
  • Mike Pettine left the Bills to coach the Browns, and will have to return to Buffalo on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Michael Johnson left the Bengals to be the featured pass rusher for the Buccaneers, and he will get his chance to beat Andrew Whitworth and the Bengals offensive line to get a hit on Andy Dalton on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Rodger Saffold can show the Raiders exactly how healthy he is after the team signed him to a huge money deal and subsequently failed him on his physical, voiding the deal. The Rams host the Raiders on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Henry Melton got hurt after receiving the franchise tag by the Bears, and will get a chance to prove he is still an effective player when the Cowboys visit the Bears for Thursday Night Football on December 4th (8:25 EST, NFL Network).
  • Chris Johnson will get to face the Titans for the first time, as he tries to show the team he still has some miles left on his tires when the Jets go to Tennessee on December 14th (4:05 EST, CBS).

Dolphins To Sign Branden Albert

March 11th, 2014 at 8:04pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 8:04pm: Albert got an $8.5MM signing bonus on his deal with the Dolphins, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. He’ll make $11.025MM in the first year. The total is $47MM over five years, potentially.

3:12pm: Albert has agreed to a five-year, $46MM deal that includes $25MM in guaranteed money, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

MONDAY, 3:05pm: Albert is line to sign with the Dolphins for $10MM per year, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).

10:58am: The Dolphins have made Branden Albert a top priority since being allowed to speak to his agent on Saturday, and it looks like their work on the offensive tackle will pay off. A day after Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote that the Dolphins would likely sign Albert, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald confirms (via Twitter) that the Chiefs free agent “will be a Dolphin.”

According to Salguero, an agreement between the two sides isn’t 100% in place, but it looks like it should be finalized tomorrow. Peter King of TheMMQB.com reported earlier today that Miami looked ready to “blow the opposition out of the water” for Albert, and it sounds like the lineman’s new long-term deal could be worth $10MM+ annually.

Left tackle was the Dolphins’ top priority this offseason as the team looked to repair an offensive line that will be decimated by free agency and last season’s bullying scandal. We heard last month that Miami intended to target Albert and Eugene Monroe, but Salguero tweets, with some surprise, that the club didn’t even have Monroe ranked as the second-best option at left tackle.

When I listed my picks for the top 25 free agents of 2014, I ranked Albert 11th overall, noting that he has recorded positive grades for four straight seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. I wrote that the Dolphins would have interest, but predicted Albert would land in Arizona on a four-year contract worth $8-9MM per year. It sounds like the 29-year-old will sign an even more lucrative deal with Miami, while the Cardinals are expected to shift their focus to Jared Veldheer or Rodger Saffold.

As for Albert’s old team, with whom he’s still under contract for one more day, the Chiefs will likely replace him by shifting Eric Fisher to left tackle and starting Donald Stephenson at right tackle.

King On Albert, Monroe, Raiders, Byrd, Vick

March 10th, 2014 at 7:28am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column at TheMMQB.com, Peter King tackles free agency, writing that cornerbacks and offensive tackles look poised to become the biggest beneficiaries of the extra cap space around the NFL. As King writes, Sam Shields‘ four-year deal from the Packers improves the negotiating positions of the top corners on the market, meaning Alterraun Verner, Vontae Davis, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and Aqib Talib should all get $8MM+ per year. Here’s more from King on free agency:

  • While the Giants are pursuing Verner, King is skeptical they’d pay the free agent cornerback $10MM per year, which is what he may cost.
  • The Dolphins look ready to “blow the opposition out of the water” for offensive tackle Branden Albert, perhaps with a long-term offer worth $10-11MM year. In that event, the Cardinals would strongly pursue Jared Veldheer, and the Raiders would likely shift their attention to Rodger Saffold, according to King, who adds that the tackles will likely be the first free agent dominoes to fall.
  • The offensive tackle shuffle could leave the Ravens with the player they’ve wanted all along: Incumbent starter Eugene Monroe. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported last night that the Ravens remain in contact with Monroe and are still hopeful they can re-sign him.
  • King hears that Veldheer and fellow Raiders free agent Lamarr Houston are very interested in testing the free agent market and “getting a golden parachute out of Oakland.”
  • Jairus Byrd is seeking $9MM per year, but King can’t figure out which team will be willing to pay him that.
  • King identifies the 49ers as a dark horse candidate for Michael Vick, if Vick doesn’t find an opportunity to start.
  • Discussing receivers, King writes that the Browns should be in the mix for Eric Decker and also could be a good landing spot for Julian Edelman. He adds that Golden Tate will likely “get more action” than expected.

FA Rumors: O-Line, Davis, Vinatieri, Campbell

March 9th, 2014 at 7:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The market for offensive linemen is beginning to heat up, and Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun has a couple of predictions from league sources. In one of his tweets, he identifies potential landing spots for Branden Albert (Dolphins), Jared Veldheer (Cardinals), Rodger Saffold (Raiders), Anthony Collins (Buccaneers) and Eugene Monroe (Ravens). In another tweet, he mentions that the Raiders have already talked to Saffold and Monroe, while the Buccaneers have contacted Saffold and Collins.

A couple of more notes on available (and potential) free agents…

  • The Colts are nearing a deal with Vontae Davis, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. The deal is expected to be finished on Monday. However, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star says a deal is not close (via Twitter).
  • The Colts are also talking with Adam Vinatieri, but it appears that the kicker will test the market, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
  • With Jason Campbell set to receive a $250K bonus, the Browns may choose to cut or trade the quarterback, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The bonus is due on the third day of the league year, which would be this Thursday.
  • When asked if the Jaguars would get a deal done with Will Blackmon, John Oehser of Jaguars.com responded “yes” (via Twitter).

AFC East Links: Jets, Dolphins, Patriots

March 9th, 2014 at 6:46pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Jets having released Antonio Cromartie earlier today, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com analyzed the impact the move would have on the field and in the front office. Cimini doesn’t believe that Cromartie will return to New York unless he’s willing to accept a significantly smaller, one-year deal. When looking at potential replacements on the roster, the writer doesn’t buy that Kyle Wilson would be a viable replacement and suggests Alterraun Verner as a potential target. On Saturday, Cimini reported that the Jets had expressed interest in the Titans‘ cornerback. With the Cromartie release and signing of Jeff Cumberland yesterday, the Jets should have about $33MM in cap space, Cimini mentions (via Twitter).

More notes from the AFC East…

  • Another option for the Jets‘ secondary could be Dolphins safety Chris Clemons, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
  • Fellow Dolphins‘ defensive back Nolan Carroll is generating a lot of interest, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora adds that Carroll had similar advanced stats to Sam Shields, who signed a $39MM contract yesterday.
  • With more than $30MM in cap room and a clear desire to win now, the Dolphins should make a big splash in free agency, says James Walker of ESPN.com. That move could be Branden Albert, who is likely to join the team on Tuesday.
  • In the same mailbag, Walker suggests that signing a running back is important to the Dolphins, but not a top priority. Instead of someone like Ben Tate, Walker suggests Maurice Jones-Drew.
  • There is a strong push within the Patriots organization to keep Julian Edelman, league sources tell Michael Giardi of CSNNewEngland.com (via Twitter). The Patriots coaches reportedly love his work ethic and ability to play special teams.

FA Roundup: Veldheer, Ward, Byrd, Jets

March 9th, 2014 at 4:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cardinals are expected to heavily pursue free agent offensive tackle Jared Veldheer, according to Kent Somers of AZCentral.com. The team is looking to improve their offensive line by upgrading at left tackle, where incumbent Bradley Sowell struggled mightily last season. Veldheer, 26, was somewhat surprisingly not franchise-tagged by the Raiders, who have ample cap space and could have aimed to sign him to a long-term contract. Now the Cardinals (whose top target, Branden Albert, will likely sign with the Dolphins) will look to swoop in and sign the young lineman.

Other free agent notes:

AFC Notes: Albert, Verner, Clabo, Byrd

March 9th, 2014 at 3:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Branden Albert is likely to sign with the Dolphins when free agency officially begins on Tuesday, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Albert, 29, was the Chiefs first-round-pick in 2008, and as Florio notes, was nearly traded to the Dolphins last offseason.

The Dolphins need to rebuild a porous offensive line, and they essentially need four starters to team with center Mike Pouncey. The unit was decimated by the controversies relating to Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito, neither of whom is expected to return to Miami. The Chiefs, meanwhile, will fill Albert’s shoes at left tackle with either Eric Fisher or Donald Stephenson, with the other manning the right tackle position.

Other news from the AFC:

AFC East Notes: Byrd, Verner, Dolphins

March 8th, 2014 at 4:23pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Bills did not place the franchise tag on safety Jairus Byrd, electing to instead sign safety Aaron Williams to a long-term contract. However, Williams says that Byrd still wants to return to the Bills, writes Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk.

Williams said that the two safeties have a great friendship and talk all the time. Byrd and the Bills are still able to come to an agreement on a deal to keep him in Buffalo for a long time.

Here are some other free agency notes from around the AFC East:

Extra Points: Saints, Bears, Gore, Eagles

March 7th, 2014 at 10:35pm CST by David Kipke

Earlier tonight, franchise player Jimmy Graham tweeted that he’s “shocked and disappointed” about everything that’s happened in New Orleans this offseason. Graham is likely referencing the Saints’ decisions to cut offensive weapons Lance Moore and Darren Sproles. According to John Breech of CBSSports.com, there’s a chance the team could release running back Pierre Thomas as well. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweeted that the decision to cut Moore and Sproles likely stemmed from the large cap numbers of Jahri Evans, Ben Grubbs, Marques Colston, and Brodrick Bunkley.

Let’s look at some other news tidbits from this Friday evening…

  • Lance Briggs expressed similar frustrations to Graham with the Bears‘ front office on Friday, saying that if he ran the team, he would “trade all the draft picks and bring my brothers back.” Briggs was presumably referencing players like Charles Tillman, Devin Hester, and Brian Urlacher. While Urlacher retired after last season, the team seems ready to cut ties with Hester and Tillman. It is widely expected that the Bears will also part ways with Julius Peppers due to the eight-time Pro Bowler’s huge cap figure.
  • 49ers GM Trent Baalke has said that, considering Frank Gore “had a A++ season” in 2013, the team doesn’t feel it needs to restructure the five-time Pro Bowl running back’s contract this offseason, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
  • Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer thinks that the Eagles should pursue safety Malcolm Jenkins in free agency. McLane argues that the new free agent would be a better schematic fit for the Eagles than more prominent free agent safeties such as Jairus Byrd and T.J. Ward. He thinks the Eagles could also pursue the Panthers’ Michael Mitchell and the Dolphins’ Chris Clemons, among others.
  • Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune (via Twitter) thinks that because of the departures of Sproles and Moore, the Saints will be looking for a return specialist this offseason. Duncan speculates that the team could address this void by targeting Devin Hester, New Orleans native Jacoby Jones, or perhaps even a prospect like LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham.
  • Desmond Bryant, defensive end for the Browns, says he’s been medically cleared to play after a health scare, according to Marc Sessler of NFL.com and Bryant’s personal Twitter account.
  • Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group identifies six free agent offensive lineman that could interest the Browns, including San Diego’s Chad Rinehart and Kansas City’s Geoff Schwartz.
  • Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody, whose contract situation is currently up in the air, has signed with Authentic Athletix NFL agent Peter Schaffer, according to a tweet by Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journalism. Cody had been previously represented by Athletes First.
  • Ben Tate told Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston that he can become an “elite” running back next season. Tate has not been shy about his plans to test free agency and finally step into a starting role on another team.
  • Darnell Dockett called free agent tackle Branden Albert his teammate in a tweet earlier today, according to Joel Thorman of Arrowhead Pride. While Albert’s response to the tweet, which was quickly deleted, deflected Dockett’s comments, it did not directly dispute the teammate comment.

Chiefs Notes: Albert, Houston, Lewis, Avery

March 1st, 2014 at 11:43am CST by Matt Feminis

Let’s round up a few of the latest items out of Kansas City….

  • Yesterday, Branden Albert‘s free-agent outlook was evaluated by ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher, who believes, “It’s time for both sides to move on.” A veteran left tackle whose pass blocking prowess dwarfs his run blocking skill, Albert played for a $9.8MM franchise tender in 2013, but will hit the open market this year. Despite his flaws, Albert is expected to cash in, a la Jermon Bushrod, as detailed by Bleacher Report’s Ty Schalter earlier this month.
  • Meanwhile, the team has initiated contract talks with Justin Houston, whose deal expires after next season, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS (via Twitter).
  • Free safety Kendrick Lewis was a nice find in the fifth round of the 2010 draft, but his play has declined since that season, says Teicher. The Chiefs will look to upgrade that position with a rangier, more athletic player in an effort to cut down on big plays against and provide more consistency on the back end.
  • After sending a second-round pick to San Francisco in the Alex Smith trade, the Chiefs hold just one draft pick in the first 86 and would like to add more, according to Teicher, who also thinks Donnie Avery‘s roster spot could be in jeopardy.
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