Kansas City Chiefs: Is Branden Albert Worth Top 5 Money?

Many Kansas City Chiefs fans are ecstatic to have head coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey on board. Reid and Dorsey are aware of the team's recent struggles and look to turn around the franchise.

With a new regime comes a challenge. Reid and Dorsey must decide whether to re-sign three key players in offensive tackle Branden Albert, wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and punter Dustin Colquitt. Among the three, Albert might be the most intriguing because of how it affects the Chiefs and who they'll take with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The preconceived notion is that the Chiefs will draft Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel if the Chiefs have a hard time retaining Albert. If Albert returns to Kansas City, all eyes are on West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith.

If the Chiefs re-sign Albert, that will allow them to go some way to filling the big void at quarterback. But does Albert want top-five money?

Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star agrees with many people that Albert is not a top-five tackle. However, Teicher said that Albert may become a top-five tackle.

Here are Albert's stats since being drafted out of Virginia in 2008:

• 2008, 15 games, 1 penalty, 4.5 sacks allowed
• 2009, 14 games, 10 penalties, 9 sacks allowed
• 2010, 15 games, 7 penalties, 7.75 sacks allowed
• 2011, 16 games, 10 penalties, 5 sacks allowed
• 2012, 13 games, 6 penalties, 1 sack allowed

There is certainly a concern with Albert's consistency when you look at his numbers. Albert has only played one full season since coming out of Virginia in 2008. As far as giving up sacks, he has improved in that area after a bad 2009 season.

Albert, who recently passed his physical, is close to being a top-five tackle, and the Chiefs desperately need a quarterback. It may be worth giving Albert the money he's asking for and get Smith from the draft.