Branden Albert – May 31, 2016
Download PDF version
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Tackle Branden Albert
(On how he follows up on last season and carries it over to this year) – “Basically, towards the end of the season, I started coming back to the form I (had) before my injury happened. I started playing like the elite player I was playing before my injury. Now I just have to carry (it over to this year). Right now, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in in a long time. It’s the lightest I’ve been since I left Kansas City. As of right now, I’m just trying to keep continuing to get my body together and learning the offense and just continuing to work.”
(On how much lighter he is) – “I’m probably like 313 (pounds) right now.”
(On why he made the change to get lighter) – “Basically, I am getting kind of older. For the sake of my health and my joints and my knees, I just feel better. Right now I’m at a point that I’m strong enough to be lighter (I wanted to be lighter) just for longevity in my career.”
(On what he was thinking when G/T Laremy Tunsil dropped in the draft and if he knew much about him in college) – “I really didn’t pay attention to the draft. But watching the offensive tackles, I would try to pay attention and I just knew he was a great young player. When we got him I was like ‘It’s going to be a benefit for the offensive line.’ Well. the more the merrier, to be honest with you. It wasn’t … I know some people called me like ‘What’s going on?’ I (told them) ‘I’m the left tackle of this team.’ I wasn’t worried about anything. I’m trying to bring him along the best we can. The faster he moves along and the faster that his progress comes, and we get the five best offensive linemen on the field, we’re going to be the best offensive line we can be. That’s going to help this team out.”
(On how good the offensive line can be with the health of him and T Ja’Wuan James and the addition of G/T Laremy Tunsil) – “We can be pretty good but we have to put the work in. We have to listen to (Offensive Line) Coach (Chris) Foerster and other coaches: (Offensive Quality Control) Coach Kup (Chris Kuper) and (Assistant Offensive Line) Coach Wash(burn). And we have to stay healthy. That’s been our main problem. The big three: Ja’Wuan, C Mike (Pouncey and I). We probably played five games together in the last two years. We have to stay healthy somehow. A little bit of luck. A little bit of prayer. A little bit of extra work. Once all of us stay together healthy, I think we will be a pretty good offensive line.”
(On how much of an issue the health of the offensive line has been in the past) – “I think that’s been a key issue – all of us staying healthy at once. I went down. (C) Mike (Pouncey) was hurt at the beginning (of the season) two years ago. Then he came back and two games later, I get hurt. Last year, I finally come back. Mike (Pouncey), Ja’Wuan (James and I are) playing and I hurt my hamstring. Then I come back and Ja’Wuan (James) hurts his toe. Then towards the end of the season, all of us were banged up. But once we all stay healthy, we stay cohesive, and we find the right the five, I believe we could be a heck of an offensive line.”
(On if he likes the depth now up front) – “We have a lot of depth. Last year showed that we didn’t have (any) depth. Guys (were) forced to be put in bad situations and put in tough spots and try to make the best out of it. Some guys, at the time, were not equipped because they weren’t raised to be in a different position. They were rotating through certain positions and then, all of a sudden, you need to play right tackle. Well, the whole year they didn’t practice right tackle. So this year we have a lot of depth in a lot of areas (and) a lot of veteran players, so it’s going to be good for us.”
(On RB Jay Ajayi) – “I think he’s going to hit the holes. That’s his thing. He’s going to hit the holes. We’re going to open up the holes for him and he’s going to hit it. I’m not worried about him tiptoeing through the hole. He’s going to put his head down, find the hole and he’s going to get through there. We need someone else to step up in the running game too and run the ball. It’s our job to open up the holes and it’s his job to hit them. And I believe he will.”
(On if making the Pro Bowl had any special meaning) – “Of course. I battled through a real bad injury, which at the age that I was at going through that injury, a lot of people would have quit. Through all of that last year and people saying this and that about me – In the media and on Instagram and Twitter – (they) always have a remark about I can’t stay healthy and try to say I played half the season. I played 14 of 16 games and nobody gave me my credit coming back a week before the first game coming off an ACL, MCL and PCL injury. So of course it was gratifying. I’m happy about it but I would rather get wins and get my Pro Bowls at the same time.”
(On if he notices the injury anymore) – “Nope. That’s why I lost weight. In fact, right now I don’t feel it. I don’t notice it. (I’m) moving a lot better. I’m running around. I want to take my knee brace off but I’m not allowed to.”
(On who told him he can’t take his knee brace off) – “The training staff. I have to listen to what the training staff says.”
(On if quitting football ever crossed his mind) – “(Yes), at the beginning. In the third month of my rehab, I still wasn’t walking. Maybe at the fifth month of my rehab, I still wasn’t running. I said ‘How am I going to play in the first game and I’m not running yet at six months (after the injury)?’. But I was determined and I had the support of my teammates and my family. It was rough but I made it through.”
