Looking back at Branden Albert and the incredible 2008 Chiefs NFL draft class
By Britt Zank
Given the recent retirement of Branden Albert, we decided to take a closer look at the incredible draft class that first brought him into the NFL.
Earlier this week former Kansas City Chiefs tackle Brandon Albert announced his retirement from football after nine seasons in the league. While reminiscing on his career in K.C., I started thinking about the 2008 NFL Draft of which Albert was a part.
The 2008 draft was the last class for former general manager Carl Peterson, and it may have been his wildest. The Chiefs made five trades leading up to the draft, netting them a total of 12 picks overall. Most everyone should remember the big trade that sent pass rusher Jared Allen to the Minnesota Vikings. In that deal, the Chiefs traded Allen and a sixth round pick to the Vikings for a first, two thirds and a sixth round pick. What some people might not remember is the 6th round pick the Chiefs sent came from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a trade for Ryan Sims and Michael Bennett.
The Chiefs then turned the 17th pick they received from the Vikings into the 15th pick in a trade with the Detroit Lions. In that trade the Chiefs sent the 17th pick, a third and fifth rounder to the Lions for the 15th pick and a third rounder. That trade also owes some value to a previous trade as the 5th rounder the Chiefs sent to the Lions came from the Miami Dolphins from a trade for quarterback Trent Green. To finish off the pre-draft wheeling and dealing, Peterson sent kicker Lawrence Tynes to the New York Giants in return for a seventh round pick. If anyone thinks being a general manager in football is easy, re-read these last two paragraphs and try to figure all that math out!