When the Kansas City Chiefs used the first-overall pick in last weekend's NFL Draft on offensive tackle Eric Fisher, the expectation was that he would take over as the team's starting left tackle. However, Branden Albert remains on the team, and coach Andy Reid told Bruce Murray and Rich Gannon of SiriusXM NFL Radio that the veteran will fill the left tackle position, with Fisher playing on the right side.
Follow @TheNFLInjuryRpt
“We allowed Albert’s people to talk and look and do that whole thing and it didn’t work out one way or the other,” Reid said. “And so, you never know, I mean, in this business you’d love to say that he’d be here or not be here, one of the two, but I know he’s a good kid, I know he’s a hard worker and I know he’s a good left tackle. So that gives us a whole lot of flexibility and if he was here today he would be the left tackle. And then we go from there and we just see what happens down the road.”
At this point, Albert is under contract for $9.8 million as the team's franchise player. There was an expectation that Kansas City would trade him, especially when it was clear they were targeting an offensive tackle with the first-overall pick.
Now, Albert and Fisher remain in the fold, as the Chiefs haven't received the value they've been seeking in trade offers. Rather than ship him out for what they consider to be lesser return, Kansas City has elected to retain Albert.
What further complicates the matter is that Albert is seeking a long-term contract extension. He's understandably going to want to be paid like a left tackle, but the Chiefs feel they have their left tackle of the future in Fisher.
Follow @TheNFLInjuryRpt
Looking for fantasy football advice?
