Is Dolphins’ Ginn ready for No. 1 WR role?

By Jeff Dickinson  |   Tuesday, June 10, 2008  |  Comments( 8 )

Miami Dolphins
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As the Miami Dolphins wrapped up their voluntary preseason workouts Sunday, reports were coming out of camp that second-year receiver Ted Ginn is ready to become the team's No. 1 wideout in 2008.

Ginn was said to be more relaxed and more confident heading into his sophomore NFL season and wasn’t shying away from stepping up to be the go-to guy for whichever quarterback is under center. That’s both good and bad news for Dolphins fans.

What’s good about it? It is encouraging that Ginn, a receiver who hardly had a breakout season in 2007, seems ready to take on a leadership role among the other wideouts. Some second-year players who faced the kind of criticism that Ginn did when the Dolphins reached for him in the first round of the ’07 draft might shy away from the spotlight.

At the same time, Miami fans should also be a little wary that a guy like Ginn, who only had 34 catches for 420 yards and two touchdowns last year, seems to be the best receiver the team has in ’08. After the Dolphins traded their only legitimate receiving threat in Chris Chambers to San Diego midway through last season, Marty Booker and Ginn wallowed in mediocrity.

Booker is now in Chicago, and Ginn is seemingly the No. 1 man. There is a question as to whether Ginn is No. 1 simply because of attrition. The Dolphins did sign former Jacksonville receiver Ernest Wilford as a free agent in the offseason. Wilford had similar numbers as Ginn for the Jaguars last season – 45 catches for 518 yards and three touchdowns.

On one hand, the Dolphins could have two young receivers in Ginn and Wilford who are ready to have breakout seasons. They could show the world that their time has arrived to star in the NFL. On the other hand, Miami could have two receivers who are adequate and will never be anything more than that.

If you compare Ginn’s numbers last season solely to other rookie receivers, he didn’t fare too poorly. Ginn’s stats put him ninth in the league among other rookies. The problem was that his numbers were a far cry from the top rookie, Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe.

Bowe, who was a first-round pick for the Chiefs, hauled in 70 balls last season for 995 yards and five touchdowns. No. 2 rookie receiver Calvin Johnson of the Lions only caught 14 more passes than Ginn, but he gained 336 more yards.

Ginn’s collegiate numbers at Ohio State bear hope to his future. Ginn caught 15 touchdown passes in 37 games, and he finished his OSU career with 125 total catches. Ginn also proved his versatility with the Buckeyes by returning punts, kickoffs and occasionally running the ball. He ended up with 4,068 total yards.

Ginn is in line to return kicks for the Dolphins, something that head coach Tony Sparano said he is comfortable with if Ginn wins the job. Even if Ginn doesn’t become another Mark Duper, at least he can still help the Dolphins on special teams in ’08.
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About Jeff Dickinson

I have been writing and editing professionally for 18 years. I spent the first three years of my career as a sportswriter for a daily newspaper in Alabama and got to cover sports and get paid for it! It was great until I got married and then it wasn't too much fun being away from my wife every...
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