Dolphins fishing for a catch

By Richard Diaz  |   Thursday, June 12, 2008  |  Comments( 7 )

Miami Dolphins
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There’s little doubt that Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are going to be the fuel that ignites the offensive engine for the 2008 Miami Dolphins.

However, Miami must avoid a repeat of last season’s dreadful receiving game in order for that duo to succeed. At the moment, John Beck and Josh McCown are slowly developing that critical relationship between a quarterback and his wide receivers. Regardless of who wins the starting job, his success or failure will ultimately land in the hands of the team’s receiving corps.

Three of the team's first four games are against clubs that were top 10 or better in passing defense last year, which will definitely test the young and mostly inexperienced receivers. If Miami’s going to have any chance to win, this new-look cast of characters must grow up fast.

Ted Ginn arrived in Miami with the burden of being the player who was drafted instead of fan-favorite Brady Quinn last season. In 15 games he recorded only 34 catches for 420 yards and just one touchdown. Ineffective as Ginn was last season, he has looked like a different player during the offseason workouts. News out of Dolphins camp has indicated that he’s healthy and running as fast as he did at Ohio State. Moreover, veteran cornerback Will Allen has pointed out that Ginn is playing with a more assertive and aggressive approach than he did last season. That’s important because it could lead to an improvement in his release off the ball, which will help the second-year man use his speed to find holes in the defense.

To team with Ginn, Miami signed veteran receiver Ernest Wilford, formerly of Jacksonville, to fill the roll that was vacated by Marty Booker during the offseason. Last season saw Wilford catch 45 passes for 518 yards and three touchdowns. He’s not a guy who will amaze you with blazing speed, but he's intelligent enough to find open pockets, which makes him a go-to guy for an under-pressure QB.

Although a close race, Derek Hagan is the potential No. 3 guy in the Dolphins' receiver hierarchy. He posted a forgettable 29 grabs for 373 yards and a pair of TDs last year. Add a severe case of inconsistent hands to those stats, and you’ve got a guy who has something to prove in the upcoming season. If he continues to impress the new regime of coaches, there’s a legitimate shot for Hagan to surpass Wilford as the team's second receiver.

Aside from those three, all bets are off for the remaining receivers on the roster. Greg Camarillo is beloved for making the game-winning catch in last season’s only win, an overtime triumph over Baltimore; but other than that, he’s just an average-at-best receiver. Three-year veteran David Kircus was signed in February, but he's already injured and will have a tough time beating out the crop of rookie receivers who are battling for a spot on the 53-man roster.

On that note, the Dolphins currently have five rookies competing for a permanent receiver or practice squad position. Davone Bess, from Hawaii, has had an impressive offseason, and he's an early favorite. Beyond that, there’s Jayson Foster, Justin Wynn, Selwyn Lymon and the recently signed John Dunlap, all of whom are undrafted rookies who haven’t had the time to prove themselves.

If this season is going to be any different than the atrocity that was last year, then, the receivers must:

• Catch the easy passes.
• Quickly get off the line.
• Create space between themselves and the defender.
• Know when to break off a route to help the quarterback when he’s under pressure.
• Pick up their block assignments.
• Find a way to make a few big plays per game.

If they succeed in those areas, opposing defenses will have no choice but to respect them. On the field, that respect translates to defensive schemes that can’t solely focus on stuffing the run. That accomplishment can easily be the difference between a one-win season and a winning one.
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CommentsComments: 7  |  Sign Up  View all comments
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No.1
LET'SGOBUFFALO		11:27 AM
06/12/2008
I don't think the Dolphins offense is a threat to any defense in the NFL. Remember they only won 1 game last season, and Jake...
No.2
Fish		11:43 AM
06/12/2008
Miami will wine several games against AFC East teams - they should have beaten the Bill and Jets once each last year, They will...
No.3
lilman1023		12:38 PM
06/12/2008
I think Miami is going to be this year's surprise team, they aren't as bad off as people think they are..I think this team was a...
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