Miami Dolphins Offseason Overview: Wide Reciever

Beyond nose tackle, wide receiver is the greatest need for the Miami Dolphins entering the 2010 season. There is talent on the unit, that can’t be denied, but there is no elite talent. There’s no one capable of taking the Dolphins receiving game to the next level.

Media and fans have pointed as much out for the last two seasons. The Dolphins front office knows it, the players know it, teams around the league know it. Bill Parcells and general manager Jeff Ireland can’t allow that to continue. Bringing in a true No. 1 receiver would bring out the best of the players already under contract.

Ted Ginn Jr. was touted as the answer at the position coming into the season, but he finished the year with only 454 yards receiving and one touchdown—barely half his numbers from a year ago. Ginn was among the league-leaders in dropped passes and his mistakes late in games were at times the difference between wins and losses.

Ginn goes out of bounds too often, drops way too many passes, and still struggles to run good routes. He did some damage as a returner and that may keep him on the roster for another year, but as a receiver he was one of the biggest disappointments on the team.

Rookie Brian Hartline emerged as the Dolphins top receiver down the stretch. He showed good promise as a deep threat and his route-running was impressive for someone so young. The former Ohio State Buckeye’s 3 receiving touchdowns lead the team and his 506 receiving yards were good enough for third on the roster.

Hartline will end up being the team’s second receiver next season. He’s only 23 and with a good offseason could really do some damage in 2010. Right now he’s on par with any receiver on the roster and he only has one season under his belt.

Davone Bess excelled in his second year in the league. After going undrafted, Bess was picked up by the Dolphins before last season and impressed as a receiver out of the slot. Last year, he build upon that success and is turning into one of the better slot guys in the league.

At 5’10” he’s too short to play on the edges, but his quick feet, great route-running, and elite hands turned Bess into the second-leading third down receiver in the NFL for 2009. He lead the Dolphins with 758 receiving yards and will look to expand on his success in 2010. He and Hartline are the top prospects to start for Miami, baring the edition of a new receiver through free agency or the Draft.

After Hartline and Bess, Greg Camarillo played well in his first season back from a torn ACL. He wasn’t 100 percent for much of the year and lingering effects of the injury were noticeable throughout the season, but Camarillo still put in a solid contribution in 2009. He was second on the team in receiving yards at 552, but he failed to record a touchdown.

The 27-year-old will find the going easier next season, now that his knee has really had time to heal. He should be ready to roll come training camp. Camarillo may not be the most physically gifted receiver, but he’s a hard worker and displays great consistency on the field—he went through the 2009 season without dropping a single pass.

While Camarillo, Bess, and Hartline are great complementary pieces and would excel if matched with elite talent, Parcells and Ireland need to make that addition first. The receiving core will continue to be one of the weakest units on the team until the Dolphins address the glaring need at the position. Look for the team to bring in at least two or three guys through free agency and the draft to beef up the core.

Wide Receiver Grade: C+