Wide Receiver Outlook

The wide receivers unit is one of the most unproven units on the team right now. Our roster is loaded with several players who are young and lack experience at the NFL level. This area may prove to be one of the more interesting battles for roster spots and playing time, not just during training camp but throughout the regular season as well. Let's take a look at the players.


Ted Ginn: We all obvioulsy know the story with Ginn. He is the focus of much of the fan base because of what happened in the 2007 draft (actually what didn't happen). He showed good flashes in his rookie season but still poses a big question mark. Can he improve his route running? Can he be a legit starting wideout in the league? Can he be the go-to guy for whoever our quarterback is? It will be an important year for him. It appears the team may limit or completely take away his kick return duties, so he must produce on the offense to show his worth.

Ernest Wilford: This is an offseason acquisition that has sort of flown under the radar. We made a lot of free agent signings and focused mainly on defense so Wilford seems to be the forgotten man. He isn't too flashy on the field but he is very productive. He doesn't get wide open or burn people on deep routes but he is big, physical and makes tough catches. His qualities seems to be a great compliment to Ginn's. He also should provide much value in the red zone because he can run fade routes. Miami didn't have anyone who can run and catch the fade route last season.

Tab Perry: He is another offseason addition that isn't talked about much. He saw very limited action in Cincinatti and is more likely to make an impact as a return man rather than a receiver. I'll admit I don't know much about him so I offer this nugget from Rotoworld. "Perry flashed in practice as a Bengal and can return kicks but never stayed healthy. If he can get his hip issues worked out, Perry could be an asset on special teams. Otherwise, he will likely struggle to make an impact."

Derek Hagan: Hearing that name probably makes Dolphins Fans cringe. He was drafted a couple years ago and was a promising prospect but hasn't made it yet. In college he broke numerous records at Arizona State and in the Pac-10, but in the NFL he hasn't proved that he can catch the ball, literally. It seems he is failing to get good separation but when he does has a knack for dropped passes. He will probably get one more year in Miami to sort things out, but like Ginn there are a lot of questions that must be answered this year.

Greg Camarillo: Hearing his name always make me sigh in relief. Thank you Greg. That was huge last year catching a rare accurate pass by Cleo Lemon and being able to score. We will never forget it. Sadly though, your biggest supporter Cam Cameron is not the coach anymore and you may not be afforded the same opportunities from now on. I hope he gets a fair shot because he can be a good slot receiver in the mold of Wes Welker. The problem is, special teams is going to play a key role in determining all the bench spots. Camarillo must show he can be an asset on the coverage teams to assure making the club.

David Kircus: Like Tab Perry, he was signed in the offseason and will fight to make the team. He hasn't produced at the NFL level and also has some character concerns. Again, I don't know too much about him either.

The rest of the players competing for roles are the players signed as undrafted free agents which I talk about here. The two names that keep getting talked about are Davone Bess and Jayson Foster. Bess was extremely productive at Hawaii and just seems to be able to catch whatever is thrown near him. What hurts his cause is that he doesn't seem to be a special teams contributor and he's not that dynamic on offense. One who is dynamic is Jayson Foster. He would most likely make the team in a Brad Davis-like role (listed as WR but really is a WR/RB/QB/just get the ball in his hands). Both of these guys and the others listed have legitimate chances to win the job but they must clearly outperform everyone else.

My Overall Assessment

Ted Ginn and Ernest Wilford are roster locks and will be the starters barring something drastic. Derek Hagan should stick but he shouldn't feel to comfortable. He is a bad training camp away from being unemployed. Tab Perry, David Kircus, Greg Camarillo, and Davone Bess are the four most likely to win the last two spots (three if you believe Hagan will be cut). If i had to speculate, I'd say Perry and Bess win out. The others listed would have to play out of there mind and also hope that everyone else underperforms. I don't see that happening. Foster is a possibility, but most likely it would be if the club chose to carry six receivers.