Branden Albert not released, potentially being traded to Jaguars for Julius Thomas

Last week it was reported that the Miami Dolphins had released two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Branden Albert, but then the team pulled back on that when the phones started ringing about a trade. Not content with letting him test free agency, the Jacksonville Jaguars apparently had a banger of an idea and have offered tight end Julius Thomas to the Dolphins in exchange for Albert.

Albert has taken all the news about him extremely well:

“My tenure in Miami, I served my purpose. I was brought here to help change the culture and I believe I did that,” Albert told the Sun-Sentinel. “Now the team is on a winning path and I leave my mark on the people I was supposed to leave it with, the youngsters on the team.”

If the deal goes through, the Jaguars will be getting a 32-year-old premier tackle who has problems staying healthy and is expensive but willing to take a paycut. Albert will replace Kelvin Beachum, who they released last week. It would also probably signal the official end to Luke Joeckel’s career in Jacksonville, though that was already expected after they declined to pick up his fifth-year option and he hit IR after only four games. The former second overall pick was playing guard, but new head coach Doug Marrone can probably find someone cheaper, more reliable to do that. Joeckel would certainly be a name of interest to the Seattle Seahawks if he does become available.

The Dolphins would be getting Thomas, a 28-year-old tight end who signed a five-year, $46 million deal in 2015 but has produced just 736 yards, nine touchdowns, and missed 11 games in two seasons with the Jags. He would also be renegotiating to avoid being cut if traded. For Miami, he’d still be an adequate upgrade over Jordan Cameron and Dion Sims.

Then there’s also the possibility of whether or not the Seahawks are going to call the Dolphins about Albert before a trade is made. I’m not sure what their offer would be or should be, they don’t have an attractive bad contract (Jimmy Graham is not a bad contract, no matter what anyone says), so it would likely have to come in the form of a draft pick. Is a third round pick better than Julius Thomas?