I received an e-mail from a New York Giants fan Tuesday asking about former Giants safety Gibril Wilson. Dan Bruskewicz writes the following:
"Should the Giants bring back Gibril Wilson?! He's definitely gonna get cut. I'd say do it, let him earn a job. There are much worse 3rd safeties on a lot of teams."
So, let's talk about Wilson. He was a popular Giant who left for a big-money deal with Oakland after the 2007 Super Bowl season. After one year there, the Raiders let him go and he signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Miami Dolphins.
Now, it seems the Dolphins can't wait to shed Wilson just like the Raiders did. So, what is the deal?
I reached out to our man Matty, who does a fabulous job writing about the Dolphins over at SB Nation's Miami blog, The Phinsider. I got a very candid answer in return.
"He was terrible this year playing the FS spot. He got burnt left and right, surrendering big play after big play. But worse yet, Wilson was supposed to be a solid tackler. Right? Wrong. He missed countless tackles, including ones that resulted in long runs and touchdowns. By the end of the season, he was losing playing time to a 5th round draft pick.
"The Dolphins made a mistake with his signing and most expect them to bite the bullet and cut him loose."
Matty also pointed me in the direction of the Miami Herald, which has recently had plenty of critical things to say while predicting Wilson's ouster from the Dolphins.
Here is one entry from Herald football writer Armando Salgeuro.
I was talking to a Dolphins source about Wilson and without prodding, he told me, "All I know is we can get rid of anyone we don't think can do the job without it hurting our ability to get other players." So that tells me the Dolphins are strongly leaning toward getting rid of Wilson if they haven't decided to do so already. A free safety is supposed to be the final line of defense and it seemed like Wilson was instead an open invitation to score touchdowns. Add to that the fact he didn't bring any game-changing plays to the table, and I think you get the idea.
Here is another entry from Salgeuro. This one comes complete with a YouTube video you probably saw Sunday without realizing it was Wilson who was victimized.
You missed tackles to the point your pee-wee league coach called you to ask you what's wrong (true story). You didn't have an interception even though no less than four passes hit you in the hands throughout the season.
You temporarily lost your starting job midway through the season (for one game) only to regain the job but then lose it again the final game of the regular season. You had trouble in coverage. You had trouble communicating with the media to the point you seemingly gave up on the idea.
It was by any account a bad season because you know your new team -- the third you've played for in three seasons -- is considering dropping you like a bad habit to absolve itself of your toxic contract.
Wilson made 72 solo tackles this season, his lowest number since his rookie year with the Giants in 2004. He also had no interceptions, the first time in his career he has put up a doughnut in the category.
In my mind Wilson as a Giant was a decent safety who was athletic, but never became a huge play-maker. He cashed in big on the Giants' Super Bowl title, but it seems two organizations in two seasons have now found Wilson not worth the price.
Assuming he will be free shortly, and that he is no longer in a position to command a big-money contract, would you still be interested in bringing Wilson back to New York? He has to be an upgrade over C.C. Brown and Michael Johnson. Doesn't he?
(E-mail Ed at bigblueview@gmail.com)