Dolphins LT Branden Albert Done For The Year

The Dolphins lost Pro Bowl LT Branden Albert for the season in 20-16 defeat to the Lions

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The news is not good for Miami Dolphins starting left tackle Branden Albert, who is likely out for the season after being carted off the field in the second quarter in the team’s 20-16 loss to the Detroit Lions this afternoon.

The injury occurred when Lions defensive tackle Andre Fullen was blocked into his leg. The tackle was in the first year of a five-year, $47 million deal he signed as a free agent in the offseason, a contract that is worth $25 million guaranteed. He told the team after the game that the injury would require surgery.

This injury will now cause the Dolphins to do some shifting along their offensive line. After Albert went down, the team replaced him with rookie first-round pick Ja’Wuan James from Tennessee, who moved from his right tackle spot. He was then replaced at right tackle by starting left guard Dallas Thomas, who was starting his fourth game of the season; and his left guard position was filled by Shelley Smith, who had started the season as the team’s starting right guard.

The Miami Dolphins had been chasing after Albert for a while and had been linked to the former Virginia standout in trade rumors last season as they looked to replace former No.1 overall pick Jake Long. His loss is a huge blow to a team that had struggled with offensive line play for several seasons now. The franchise which had been one of the league’s surprise teams in the first half of the season will now be without their best offensive lineman for the rest of the season as they try to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008 season.

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