Branden Albert worked hard in offseason to get even better

Written by Matthew Cannata | Twitter: @PhinManiacs
When Branden Albert was signed in the opening minutes of free agency, many fans and members of the media wondered whether or not the team signed the right person. That’s because Eugene Monroe was on the market but it had appeared that the Dolphins barely even pursued him. However, with everyone getting to know Albert the past few months and now after seeing him in one game, many are beginning to see what the Dolphins saw in Albert.

What makes him even more impressive is that he worked extremely hard in the offseason, even going to a boxing club in Miami to get quicker hands, to improve his footwork and to be better conditioned. This is according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, who states that the team is calling the Buffalo Bills’ defensive line the best they will face all year.

“For a guy that size, that’s amazing,” Matt Baiamonte, owner of the boxing club that Albert attended, said. “He’s a tremendous puncher. He really hits like a heavyweight now.”

For his part, Albert said that he needs to continue to get better and wants to continue to work to earn the respect of his teammates.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” Albert told Beasley. “I worry about how my coaches and teammates view me. I’m the hardest critic on myself. I should have played better. I feel like I played a C-plus level. My game needed to be at an A level. I could have done better, but me being a critic, I want to prove myself to these guys in this locker room, to these coaches and the fans. I appreciate the love, but these guys in this locker room, I play for.”

Albert and the offensive line will have a huge test on Sunday, especially after the way the Bills dominated their offensive line last season. However, there’s five new guys on the Dolphins’ line and they’re a lot nastier and a lot better than what the team had in 2013.

---