Branden Albert reversed course on his retirement from the NFL and will report to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars after all.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have to wonder exactly what they’ll get out of Branden Albert this season. That’s because he’s actually reporting back to training camp even after announcing his abrupt retirement from the NFL only several days earlier. It appears Albert has changed his mind once again in a rollercoaster of an offseason that has to leave the Jags wondering.
What’s interesting is that Albert’s retirement came with the whole package. It’s not as if Albert left the door open to return or gave anyone an indication that it was difficult for him to leave. In fact, it seemed to make more sense that he would retire, or at least not play for the Jaguars, after failing to not only report to spring workouts or OTAs but to even communicate with new head coach Doug Marrone.
Instead, when Albert retired a week ago, it came with an official statement of thanks to each organization he’d ever played for, including the Jags. It was an official closing to a nice nine-year career in which he was the best lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs by a country mile during his tenure. Now, however, he’s back for a tenth season, and it’s easy to wonder why. Perhaps it’s for the money, a subject that came up after his retirement.
When Albert retired, it was made apparent that he might owe a significant amount of money back to the team he’d abandoned.
Bad news for #Jaguars LT Branden Albert: If he stays retired, he owes $3.4M back in old signing bonus to Jax — $1.7M this year, $1.7M in ‘18
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 31, 2017
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Given that Albert is also scheduled to make $8.9 million in 2017, the total sum of bonus money and salary was likely too much to walk away from. Once Albert retires, the lavish salaries of major sports disappears and a more normalized wage scale appears for most players.
If it’s not a decision based on finances, Albert certainly hasn’t said so. For the Jags, they have to hope Albert is not a distraction or even a shell of his former self but that being back on the field and in the camaraderie of the locker room will motivate him to be the Pro Bowl blocker he’s been in previous seasons.
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