Branden Albert Trade Still Up In The Air
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami Dolphins may be ready to fill the team's open left tackle job with Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Branden Albert if the teams can agree on draft pick compensation.
According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, the Dolphins are willing to meet Albert's contract demands of roughly six-years for $53.4 million, or roughly equal to what Duane Brown received last year from the Houston Texans.
However, the Dolphins are offering the team's second pick in the second round (pick number 54), but Kansas City may want the Fins' first second-round pick (pick number 42).
Rapoport said that he believes a deal for Albert will get done Thursday night, the first night of the 2013 NFL Draft. The Dolphins have the twelfth overall pick in the draft, but that's too low to acquire one of the draft's elite left tackles, which is the position of need for Miami.
But before Dolphins fans get too excited, ESPN's Chris Mortensen and John Clayton both reported contradictory stories on whether the Dolphins have been pushed away by Albert's contract requests or if KC is just waiting to close the deal until closer to the draft to keep the smokescreen up about who it will draft first.
If the Dolphins do acquire Albert, the attention in the draft likely turns to the positions of tight end, defensive end, and cornerback, although safety could be in the mix as well, along with running back depth.
But as of now, there are currently three reports saying the deal is almost done between the Dolphins and the Chiefs and two reports saying the contract talks have spooked the Fins. What is known is that a deal will likely be completed by either the day before the draft or at some point early in the first round on Thrusday.
