Dolphins don’t need to panic over WR position

By Jeff Dickinson  |   Wednesday, February 25, 2009  |  Comments( 3 )

Miami Dolphins
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At this time of year in the National Football League, the 31 teams that didn’t attain the golden prize of a Super Bowl title the prior season try to assess areas in which they can progress. Every position of a team is analyzed to see where improvements can be made either through free agency or the draft in April.

The Miami Dolphins are one of those teams looking at how to make the 2009 season more of a success. Mind you, going from 1-15 to 11-5 has to make Dolphins fans happy. But the ultimate goal of any owner, coach, player and fan is to win it all.

Looking at the Dolphins in 2008, one could surmise that the team will address the position of wide receiver this offseason. Last season, Ted Ginn led Miami with just 56 receptions for a mere 790 yards. Greg Camarillo followed him with 55 catches for 613 yards and Davone Bess added 54 receptions for 554 yards.

Those numbers are a far cry from the stats that were posted by Hines Ward of the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers (1,043 yards) and Larry Fitzgerald of the second-place Arizona Cardinals (1,431 yards).

But before you think that Miami management is going to push the panic button and try to sign top free agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh or use its top draft pick on a receiver, you'd better guess again.

Prior to this year’s Super Bowl, three of the past five Big Game winners failed to have a receiver gain 1,000 yards during the regular season. In 2006, Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh was led by Ward's 975 receiving yards. The other team to play in that Super Bowl, the Seattle Seahawks, boasted Darrell Jackson' 956 yards.

In the 2005 Super Bowl, Deion Branch -- who had fewer than 1,000 yards -- led champion New England during the regular season.

The 2004 champion Patriots were led by David Givens’ 874 yards during the regular season.

Does a big-time receiver help improve a team’s chances of winning a Super Bowl? Undoubtedly. But history shows that teams with balanced offenses can also win titles.

The Dolphins will still probably address the position in the draft. However, they will more than likely wait until the later rounds to try to shore it up.

Ginn, still only 23, progressed greatly as an NFL sophomore. Bess is also only 23, while Camarillo is the eldest of the trio at the ripe age of 26. Each of these players should do nothing but get better for Miami.
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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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