Miami Dolphins' Ginn must learn faster
By ARMANDO SALGUERO
asalguero@MiamiHerald.comTed Ginn Jr. has one wrist tattooed with the words ''9th overall in 2007,'' as a reminder of how the NFL Draft changed his life 18 months ago.
The other wrist is decorated with the words, ''Truly blessed,'' as commentary of what that change did for him.
So it is fair to say the Dolphins receiver has gotten his arms around the idea of being a high draft pick.
Now he needs to get his hands around more passes.
As the Dolphins prepare for their fourth game of the season Sunday, Ginn, drafted in April 2007 to be Miami's punt returner, kick returner and top receiver, is today none of those things.
Rookie Davone Bess is Miami's primary punt and kick returner and Anthony Fasano and Greg Camarillo have caught more passes and gained more receiving yards than Ginn.
So what does Ginn think of that and his progress?
OK WITH HIS JOB
''I'm great,'' he said this week. ``I've been learning my position since Day One and been comfortable in my position since Day One. I'm going to keep going out and try to make plays, make plays for my team and hope we can get some victories.''
When the Dolphins play the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, they will face one of the worst secondaries in the NFL, according to the statistics.
The Chargers are ranked last against the pass and were shredded by the pass in consecutive last-second losses to Carolina and Denver.
If only Ginn was the type of receiver who could feed on such opportunities.
But as his first season has bled unspectacularly into his second, Ginn's progress has been painfully slow.
He started nine games last year as a rookie and averaged nearly three catches a game in those starts.
The season finale against Cincinnati was his best game, when he caught seven passes for 53 yards.
That performance and the fact he had the most catches by a Miami rookie receiver since 2001 suggested good things beckoned. But so far this regular season, his eight catches in three games show no increased productivity.
This while rookie receivers such as Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson have become overnight stars. This while Miamian Dwayne Bowe, drafted after Ginn last year, has more receptions this year and nearly reached 1,000 yards last year.
''They're in different situations than me,'' Ginn said. ``They're in different systems and they have different quarterbacks throwing them the ball. I don't compare myself because I'm here and in this system and I'm trying to help this team. So it's a different situation.''
The situation is not a great one for the Dolphins, but neither is it irreparable.
Coach Tony Sparano said as late as Thursday that Miami will use Ginn on kick and punt returns occasionally.
Note to the Dolphins: You are the NFL's 30th-ranked team for kickoffs.
Give Ginn a chance.
Ginn, meanwhile, has to earn a chance to catch more passes. Coaches and teammates privately say he does not always do a good job of ''making himself available'' to quarterback Chad Pennington.
Ginn's need to improve and refine his route running is an unspoken fact around the team.
''He's gotten better, and that is what we talk about,'' Pennington said. ``Sometimes guys come into this league and they haven't been given the opportunity or a coach hasn't really sat down and explained how to run routes.
``He's been kind of studying those routes and [studying] other receivers and [seeing] how you run those routes. It takes technique, and you have to be able to put the mental and the physical together. Fast just doesn't get it done because in this league there are a lot of guys that are fast and the details and the techniques of how to run a route is what creates separation.''
So the hope is Ginn, known for his speed on the field, will speed up his learning process.
Otherwise, those tattoos on his wrists will soon lose their meaning.
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/story/711102.html
Author