MIAMI -- Safety Gibril Wilson landed a big contract for the second year in a row, this time with the Miami Dolphins.
Wilson signed a $27.5 million, five-year deal Thursday with the Miami Dolphins, who face the prospect of losing both starting safeties to free agency.
A five-year veteran released last week by the Oakland Raiders, Wilson will receive $8 million guaranteed and $16.5 million in the first three years of the contract.
A year ago he signed a $39 million, six-year deal with the Raiders that included about $16 million in guaranteed money, but he was cut after failing to upgrade their run defense, which ranked next-to-worst in the league.
The Dolphins agreed to the deal with safeties Yeremiah Bell and Renaldo Hill on the verge of becoming unrestricted free agents Friday, along with cornerback Andre Goodman. The trio started the final 14 games together last season for the Dolphins' much-improved defense, helping them make the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
Wilson led all NFL safeties in solo tackles over his first four seasons playing for the New York Giants. He has 66 career starts, including 15 last season, when he played strong safety and made 129 tackles with two interceptions, three fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.
He started at free safety for the Giants' 2007 Super Bowl championship team.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
