DAVIE, Fla. – Miami Dolphins left tackle Branden Albert is entering his eighth NFL season. But Albert has a different appreciation entering 2015.

Albert spent the past eight months rehabbing a torn ACL and MCL he suffered last November against the Detroit Lions. Rehabbing your knee when you’re 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds is a daunting task, and Albert even doubted his playing future.

“At the beginning was the most challenging,” Albert said after the team’s first training camp practice. “Learning how to walk, learning how to do simply things I’ve been doing all my life. ... I told people I didn’t think I was going to play football again. Now, the time is here and I’m happy to be here.”

Miami’s starting left tackle showed solid progress as he was not put on the physically unable to perform list to start training camp. Albert isn’t full-go, but is cleared for light work with the goal of being 100 percent by Week 1 of the regular season.

“The great news about him is his attitude and the way his mindset is he wants to play football as soon as possible,” Dolphins coach Joe Philbin told ESPN.com this week. “So as soon as the medical people deem that’s something that he can do, that’s great. I think we all need to understand there has to be systematic progressions.”

The Dolphins certainly need Albert. He was Miami’s best offensive lineman through the first 10 games last season. Pass protection also struggled down the stretch after Albert’s season-ending injury.

Albert has about seven weeks remaining until the start of the regular season. He’s on a good pace and happy to be on the practice field – albeit limited – this early in the season.

“I’m involved with the team; I’m not off on the side no more like a stepchild,” Albert said. “I’m happy I’m in the situation that I’m in. I feel blessed. It’s been a long, long road.”