Correction: Yeremiah Bell IS A Steel-Driving Man

The Dolphins signed Yeremiah Bell to a four-year $20 million dollar contract with $10 million guaranteed.

The Miami Dolphins now have one of the (really not much argument contrary to this statement) if not the hardest hitting safety tandem in the NFL. Both safeties rank in the top eight or so hardest hitters, with Bell easily in the top five.

I can't say anything other than that this is a dream scenario. Wilson (I hadn't realized this before) played free safety for the Giants for four years, including in the Super Bowl.

I can't wait to watch these two flying around. May have to buy a Yeremiah Bell jersey next season too.

Yeremiah Bell Was A Steel-Driving Man

First let me start by saying, "Happy Birthday, Johnny Cash."

Oh, and Cash... That sleepy-eyed pretty boy screwed up a perfectly good night again. Some of them don't know how it ought to be done.

That obscurity aside, I am a fan of underdogs and a connoisseur of stories.

Yeremiah Bell was (is yet - though most likely is gone) one of my favorite Dolphins. The story of his making it to the Pros is one of the best in recent years. He was not heavily recruited after high school but Bell believed he could play at the next level.

Bell takes a job after high school and works in a Kentucky steel mill for a year, living at home with his parents and saving his money. He takes that money to University of Kentucky and tells the coach that if he makes the team he can pay his own way for the first year.

The coach keeps him and the following year Bell gets a scholarship. He's known as a big hitter in college and the lack of fluidity (a word only used only in Tai Chi and NFL draft analysis) in his hips drops him all the way to the sixth round come NFL draft time. It was 2002 and the Dolphins had mortgaged their draft that year to trade for Ricky Williams. Yeremiah Bell is the only player from that draft (Ricky wasn't drafted; he was traded for) still with the team.

It took him years of special teams and league minimum pay to finally get noticed. Nick Saban was reluctant to start him but Bell just continued to make plays in special packages. Sacks off of safety blitzes. Big fumbles on short yardage plays. Pass defenses on third down. He won the job late that season and started as the Dolphins strong safety.

In 2007 he had the starting spot from day one. He also ruptured his Achilles tendon in the first game. Practically the first play. He was out for the rest of the year.

Bell rehabbed though, with the same determination that he used to work his way through the steel mills of Kentucky all the way to the NFL. In 2008 this paid off. Bell was the leading tackler for the a defense that took a team from last place to first place in the AFC East. We all saw the big plays he made. Think of the open field smack he laid down on Marshawn Lynch to close out the second Bills game. Or the sublime block he threw on Brett Favre after Favre's final career interception (or play, as he would call it).

Now with the signing of Gibril Wilson the Dolphins have all but said goodbye to YB. Wilson is a hell of a player. While not the same hitter that Bell is, he is by no stretch of the imagination not a player to fear over the middle. The guy can thump. He's also maybe a little better in pass coverage. Over his career he's had more interceptions, sacks and pass defenses. In Bell's defense, he took a lot longer to make the field.

Wilson is faster than Bell. I don't know however if Wilson is quick enough to play free safety. He's close though.It's hard to say because he played with the Raiders last year and their front seven were so bad Wilson was essentially a tackling machine - something he did quite well at.

So with a five-year, $27.5 million dollar contract being handed to Wilson it looks like Bell's days are numbered.

In any case. I wish Yeremiah Bell the best. This one's for you, hammer-swinger...

Dolphins Sign SS, Gibril Wilson

Strong safety Gibril Wilson (#28) returning an interception.

Free agency hasn't even started (tonight at midnight) and the Dolphins have already scored an "A" by signing Gibril Wilson.

Wilson played one year with the Raiders and lead their defense in tackles. He was a cap casualty when they needed to free space to sign their best player, CB Nnamdi Ashomouga.

Wilson played the previous four-years for the NY Giants. This includes their Super Bowl victory.

You all know I'm a Yeremiah Bell fan. I'm a tad verklempt about this. I'll post something about that shortly.

But there's nothing wrong with signing Gibril Wilson. It's a good football decision. Wilson is a younger, quicker version of YB. Wilson isn't quite as ferocious a hitter, but he is a thumper nonetheless.

The Dolphins just got younger and quicker on defense.

The deal was for five-years, $27.5 million dollars. The $8 million guaranteed is a reasonable figure.

Okay, Okay - So Am I To Understand

Strong safety Yeremiah Bell may be resigned by the end of the week.

The Phinisher has returned from the hangover filled stretch of road some people call the first quarter of the year.

The Dolphins had some issues to deal with. Channing Crowder was a grump middle linebacker headed towards free agency. Yeremiah Bell wants to test the waters of FA too. As did Vernon Carey and Andre Goodman.

On top of this the Dolphins have some needs. They need to find someone else to compete with Matt Roth and the newly arrived Cameron Wake to play opposite of Joey Porter.

They need help on the interior of the offensive line.

They could use a playmaker at free safety and they will need a corner and a strong safety if Goodman and Bell don't return.

They needed a middle backer and a right tackle if Crowder and Carey walked.

Last time I was around I was dreaming of LB Karlos Dansby, DE/OLB Julius Peppers and CB Nnamdi Ashoumougha. Well as you all know the Cardinals, Panthers and Raiders all respectively broke the bank to franchise these studs.

The Ravens' Bart Scott was another linebacker on the list. He's still set to hit the market.

I, and every fan of watching the Miami Dolphins run the ball, have quietly been hoping that the Ravens wouldn't resign their stud center, Jason Brown. They haven't, and with Ray Lewis and Bart Scott (not to mention having to tag Terrell Suggs) unsigned it is unlikely they will.

That was then. This is now.

Vernon Carey signed a substantial five-year 43 million dollar contract. The nice thing with this contract is that it guarantees only 15 million, meaning Carey is going to have to earn his pay.

Then just as I am writing this Channing Crowder signs a 3 year deal (unspecified as yet, though supposedly staying in Miami was the motivation).

My gosh, we will continue to enjoy Crowder's fine microphone stylings.

Yeremiah Bell's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has announced that the team is close to a deal for Bell. Let's hope.

So, Crowder and Carey are staying. This opens up the draft and free agency market a lot.

If the Phins can sign Brown our line will be on its way to dominance. The 25 year-old center is 6'3" and weighs 320lbs. He's a mauler. Samson Satele has had trouble maintaining a weight over 300lbs and this will likely make him trade bait or if nothing else, a solid backup.

So as of now, this is what the Phinisher would like to see.

Resign Yeremiah Bell.
Resign Andre Goodman if he comes at a fair price.
GET JASON BROWN IN FREE AGENCY!!! PAY THE 7 MILLION A YEAR IT WILL TAKE!!!

If we can't sign Bell, then perhaps the recently released Gibril Wilson would come cheaper. I like Bell a lot. Kentucky steel mill and all that. I hope he stays.

The Phins could then focus on finding another outside linebacker, big receiver, guard, free safety and nosetackle project in the draft.

That would all be just fine with me.