The status of Chiefs left tackle Branden Albert has been a topic of conversation throughout the offseason, and with the deadline for franchise players to sign long-term contracts looming, it continues to be a situation that bears monitoring.
Albert has signed his franchise tender, so there are no concerns about a training camp holdout, but the question is whether a long-term deal can get signed before Monday’s deadline. Albert Breer of NFL Network reports that the sides have been talking, but there’s no deal and there’s not even a formal contract offer from the Chiefs. So it appears that a significant amount of work needs to be done.
Breer reported that the Chiefs have some concerns about Albert’s back, which suggests that they might not think he’ll hold up long enough for it to make sense to sign him to a long-term deal that guarantees him a lot of money. But Chiefs coach Andy Reid and G.M. John Dorsey have reportedly been impressed with what they’ve seen of Albert.
The Chiefs considered trading Albert early in the offseason, and there was talk at times that a deal with the Dolphins was close. But that never materialized. Albert will be a Chief for 2013, but it remains to be seen whether he will still be a Chief — or whether he will be a free agent — in eight months.