Williamson: Ginn deal could be home run
April, 16, 2010
By Mike Sando
Just got off the phone with Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. He also thinks the 49ers' deal for Ted Ginn makes sense:
I'm not sure you could find a better kickoff returner in the draft, and he also still has upside as a receiver. They got a returner who can also play receiver. That is how to look at it. Even if he never sees the field on offense, it's probably a good trade. He is very, very talented. At a minimum, he can run around the edges and get deep. That can open up things for Vernon Davis and the other guys.
Giving up a late-round pick, it's a home run even if Ginn does exactly what he did in Miami. A lot of times these kids who are high picks hit bottom. Bill Parcells didn?t like him. He didn't play tough. He steps out of bounds. He is not a banger. He's a finesse, speed guy. I?m sure Mike Singletary isn't going to love that, either. But maybe you get a change of scenery and say, 'Yeah, maybe I do need to toughen up, lower my shoulder, do those types of things.'
Ginn is a smart kid. He might realize this is his last chance. You step back, change your ways and there are far less expectations.
In Miami, he was a deep threat with Chad Pennington as his primary passer most of the time. Not that Alex Smith is Jay Cutler or anything (in terms of arm strength), but it's not Ginn's fault the quarterback can?t throw the ball 55 yards down the sideline. The 49ers get him for next to nothing and if he is one of the top five returners in the league, which he is, it's a good deal.
Ginn averaged 24.9 yards per kickoff return last season, 13th in the league among players with at least 20 returns. He ranked fifth in kickoff return yards with 1,296. He scored two touchdowns on returns, both against the Jets. Ginn hasn't returned punts regularly since 2007, when he averaged 9.6 yards on 24 returns, with an 87-yarder for a touchdown.
