Dolphins working on tying up Bell

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2009/02/dolphins-working-on-tying-up-bell.html

Dolphins working on tying up Bell

In case you guys were watching the Academy Awards and missed it, agent Drew Rosenhaus, who holds court in the corridor outside the media room at the Scouting Combine in Indy at least once during the weeklong event, did his weekly spot on WSVN-TV sports via telephone Sunday night and told reporter Steve Shapiro that he’s talking daily with the Dolphins regarding the re-signing of free agent safety Yeremiah Bell, one of his many clients.

While Rosenhaus wouldn’t guarantee they’d be able to agree to terms by the start of free agency Friday, his tone suggested that it seemed likely that the Dolphins would do everything they could to retain Bell before the rest of the league can begin to bid on him. Bell has been with the Dolphins since they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2003 draft. He's on his fourth head coach but after overcoming a litany of injuries is finally ready to land his big pay day after a sterling season.

Conversely, he barely mentioned his other free agent client on the Dolphins, free safety Renaldo Hill. That seemed to indicate that Hill is not a priority. Rosenhaus also said what my cohort Omar Kelly reported a while ago that another Dolphins client of his - receiver Ernest Wilford - may not be cut or traded after all despite having a wasted year.The cap hit wouldn't be worth it and Wilford is working out daily at the Dolphins facility in an effort to restart his career and prove to the Dolphins they didn't waste $6 million.Rosenhaus said that two weeks ago he would've predicted a change of address for Wilford, but no more.

Rosenhaus believes that free agent cornerback Andre’ Goodman – who is not one of his clients – may be tough to re-sign because the market has gone through the roof for free agent corners and that Goody could command $4 million per.

He also said the Dolphins were ready to smack the franchise tag on tackle Vernon Carey if they were unable to come to terms earlier this week. And as we have been reporting for weeks free agent linebacker Channing Crowder is definitely going to be allowed to test the market.

Rosenhaus has the ear of the Dolphins’ inner sanctum so his reports must be taken seriously. Of course, his clients’ best interest is his No. 1 priority so that must be weighed against his words. He seemed certain that the Dolphins would spend their first-round pick on a wide receiver.

I’m sure while I’m getting some sun in Delray Beach covering the International Tennnis Championships  (Lleyton Hewitt, Marcos Baghdatis, Mardy Fish, Tommy Haas, Vince Spadea etc.) Omar will be right in the middle of a spontaneous Rosenhaus press conference at the Combine, and he will press him further on Bell and Hill’s status.

Stay tuned.

Do you think Rosenhaus is on the money (pun intended)?

HF

> Posted by harvey fialkov at 1:24:16 AM

[DolFan619]

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2009/02/i-believe-the-dolphins-have-targetted-yeremiah-bell-as-a-guy-they-need-to-sign-hes-one-of-my-clients-ive-been-in-discussion.html

Agent: Dolphins working hard to sign Bell

A couple of days ago I asked which of their own unrestricted free agents the Dolphins should try to lock up next, now that Vernon Carey is in the fold. And a whopping 83.2 percent of the 3,373 respondents -- some as far away as Guam and Australia and Israel -- said it should be Yeremiah Bell.

The Dolphins are apparently in agreement.

During his weekly appearance on local television station WSVN-7, agent Drew Rosenhaus said he's met several times with the Dolphins during the current scouting Combine in Indianapolis with the goal of striking a deal for Bell.

"I believe the Dolphins have targetted Yeremiah Bell as a guy they need to sign," Rosenhaus said. "He's one of my clients. I've been in discussions with them throughout the week. I believe we'll work very hard. It's too hard to say whether or not we'll get a deal done. We're still working at it. But certainly we've been in discussions."

Rosenhaus lives in South Florida and represents a handful of Dolphins, including Renaldo Hill, another unrestricted free agent, and receiver Ernest Wilford, whose future with the team is uncertain given his three total catches in 2008.

But while Rosenhaus did not mention Hill during his segment, he talked about a renewed optimism that Wilford will remain with the team.

"If you asked me this question two weeks ago I would have said it's very unlikely," Rosenhaus said of Wilford staying with Miami. "But my sense is the Dolphins are looking at the free agent market and it's not that great. And they invested quite a bit of money in Ernest. He's a hard worker. He's a talented guy.

"Last year didn't go the way it was planned. But I would no longer be surprised if Ernest Wilford is back with the Dolphins ... He's been over at the facility working out. He would like to come back. Hopefully he gets that opportunity, we'll find out soon."

As something of a Dolphins insider, Rosenhaus is convinced he knows what the Dolphins are going to do with their No. 1 pick this April. [BLOG NOTE: Nobody knows except maybe Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland and maybe not even them because it is way too early.]

Anyway, Rosenhaus seems certain Miami is going with a wide receiver No. 1.

"The Dolphins are definitely, in my opinion, going to take a receiver with the No. 1 pick," he said. "There's too much talent there ... Dolphins fans, this is your year to get a receiver in the first round even at No. 25."

One wonders if it has dawned on Rosenhaus that if the Dolphins go with a wide receiver in the first round, as he seems confident they will, the client he also seems hopeful can stick around, might get whacked as a result.

If the Dolphins draft a receiver No. 1, adding to a corps that includes Ted Ginn Jr., Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, Brandon London and Wilford, the player initially at the bottom rung of that ladder would be, you guessed it, Wilford.

How ironical, as one player told me once.

Oh, one more thing: Rosenhaus is also the agent for recently cut running back Fred Taylor. He confirmed Taylor will visit with the Buffalo Bills, a Dolphins AFC East rival, sometime this week.

[bsfins]

Ginn must not be a Rosenhaus client....Forgetting we've recently gone the wr in the first round route....

Anyway, Rosenhaus seems certain Miami is going with a wide receiver No. 1.

"The Dolphins are definitely, in my opinion, going to take a receiver with the No. 1 pick," he said. "There's too much talent there ... Dolphins fans, this is your year to get a receiver in the first round even at No. 25."

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I hope they lock him up.  The guy is a playmaker. 

Ginn must not be a Rosenhaus client....Forgetting we've recently gone the wr in the first round route....

More like Rosenhaus isn't in Ginn's family.