Ginn-tastic Trade By 49ers

I think the move the San Francisco 49ers made to get Ted Ginn Jr. from the Miami Dolphins for only a 5th round draft pick is fantastic. It fills multiple needs the 49ers had, and gives the 49ers more freedom in the upcoming draft.

Ted Ginn Jr. is an elite return man. He is considered to be one of the five best returners in the NFL. The 49ers could not find a returner with the ability of Ted Ginn Jr. in the 5th round of the upcoming draft. Not only can he return, but he is also a big play wide receiver. He has burning speed, and is athletically gifted. He was a selected #9 overall, so there is no question whether the talent of Ted Ginn is there. Mike Singletary has a way of getting maximum talent out of his players, as is clear through Vernon Davis. In addition, Ginn can compliment Michael Crabtree very well. Crabtree is more of a possession receiver. Perhaps more importantly, Ted Ginn Jr. gives another legit target to Alex Smith in the passing game.

As is true with every player, there is a downside to Ginn's game. He is not consistent at catching balls. In fact, he was 4th in the league last season in dropped pass percentage. However, With Mike Singletary as the head coach, Ginn will have to change this trend if he plans on seeing any playing time. If nothing else, Ginn should be able to run deep passing routes and open up space underneath for both Vernon Davis, and Michael Crabtree.

Receiving wise, Ted Ginn's numbers were not very good as a Dolphin. However, he never had the chance to excel for two reasons. First off, the Dolphin fans never liked him. He was booed from the second he was picked 9th overall by the team. The fans of Miami wanted Brady Quinn. Hindsight tells us that selecting Quinn would have angered the fans as well. Finding a new place of scenary should relieve tons of pressure. Secondly, Tedd Ginn Jr. never had the quarterback to help his game. Ginn is a deep threat receiver, and his quarterback in Miami -- for the most part -- was Chad Pennington. Chad Pennington is an accurate short ball passer, but doesn't possess the arm strength to through deep routes. Alex Smith doesn't have the strongest arm either, but his is considerably stronger than that of Pennington.

Another aspect the trade accomplished is that now the 49ers do not have to spend a draft pick on a kick returner. Ted Ginn Jr. fills the hole of kick returning, and does so tremendously. This allows much more flexibility in the draft to add depth to other positions in higher need.

Overall, I think this is a wonderful trade for the 49ers. They get a big play, fast, and talented wide receiver/return specialist for almost nothing. Even without a GM, the 49ers front office is still improving the team.