Raiders’ loss turns into Dolphins’ gain

By Brad Wilbricht  |   Thursday, February 26, 2009  |  Comments( 1 )

Miami Dolphins
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The Oakland Raiders made a surprising move last week, releasing safety Gibril Wilson. Wilson had a good first season in the Bay Area, which is why many were caught off-guard that Oakland cut him. But its loss is the gain of the Miami Dolphins, who quickly scooped up Wilson.

After winning a Super Bowl title with the New York Giants two seasons ago, Wilson inked a lucrative contract with the Raiders a year ago. Wilson’s deal was a bit oversized, but he is still an extremely capable player in the secondary.

Wilson made 129 tackles during his only season in Oakland while adding 1.5 sacks and two interceptions. Many of the Raiders faithful are quick to point out those numbers are deceiving, but he still ranks as one of the most productive safeties in the league.

Miami surprised nearly everyone last year with an 11-5 record and an AFC East crown. However, there are still several areas in need of improvement. One of those areas is pass defense, where the Dolphins ranked 25th in the NFL in allowing 228 yards per contest.

During his five-year career, Wilson has racked up 429 stops along with 13 interceptions and 30 pass deflections. Furthermore, he’s displayed his physical nature, forcing seven career fumbles and compiling 7.5 sacks. Wilson has also shown his consistency, surpassing 100 tackles in three different seasons.

With a disruptive unit that forced 30 turnovers a year ago, Wilson’s ball-hawking abilities will only improve that facet of Miami’s defense. While he’s not an extremely heavy hitter, Wilson has managed to pick off at least two passes in each season of his young career.

There were several teams lining up for the services of Wilson, and the Dolphins are fortunate they were at the front of the line. Given their lackluster pass defense, the addition of Wilson is certainly a justifiable action.
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About Brad Wilbricht

Brad Wilbricht covers numerous sporting events including the NFL, NFL Draft and college football. His analysis is simulcast through several media outlets across the country. Additionally, Brad is a regular guest on a variety of talk radio shows and can be frequently heard on the airwaves. To ...
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