{"id":89930,"date":"2020-06-12T21:54:28","date_gmt":"2020-06-13T01:54:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=89930"},"modified":"2020-06-12T21:54:28","modified_gmt":"2020-06-13T01:54:28","slug":"can-ted-ginn-give-the-chicago-bears-what-taylor-gabriel-couldnt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2020\/06\/12\/can-ted-ginn-give-the-chicago-bears-what-taylor-gabriel-couldnt\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Ted Ginn Give the Chicago Bears What Taylor Gabriel Couldn&#8217;t?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Can <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/G\/GinnTe00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ted Ginn<\/a><\/strong> provide the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams2\/bears\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chicago Bears<\/a> what <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/G\/GabrTa00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Taylor Gabriel<\/a><\/strong> couldn&#8217;t during his time in the Windy City? At 35, it\u2019s fair for fans to wonder. The latter was cut in part for cap reasons but his play often left them wanting for more. So, can the older Ginn meet (and possibly surpass) Gabriel\u2019s production in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/coaches\/NagyMa0.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Matt Nagy<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s offense? Do the Bears even need him to?<\/p>\n<h2>Can Ginn Give What Gabriel Couldn\u2019t?<\/h2>\n<h3>Turbo Charged<\/h3>\n<p>Saying Gabriel failed may be too harsh. In two seasons with the Bears, he caught 96 balls for 1,041 yards and six touchdowns. He also tacked on another 81 yards on 12 carries (6.8 yards per attempt). Not bad, but it was a tale of two seasons. In 2018, Gabriel saw 93 targets and turned them into 67 catches, 688 yards, and two scores.<\/p>\n<p>2019 was as bad for Gabriel individually as it was for the entire Bears organization. He only appeared in nine games (seven starts) while dealing with injuries. He still managed to be fourth on the team in catches (29) and yards (353). That\u2019s an indictment on the receiving corp as a whole. But Gabriel\u2019s catch rate went from a career-high 72 percent in 2018 to 60.4 percent in 2019; the third-worst rate of his career.<\/p>\n<p>He crossed the 50-yard mark four times last year; including having six catches (on seven targets), 75-yards, and three touchdowns against the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams2\/redskins\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Washington Redskins<\/a>. Chicago went 1-3 in those games in 2019 after being 4-1 the year before. So, aside from the roughly $4 million in cap savings, how will the older Ted Ginn elevate this offense when Gabriel couldn\u2019t?<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Bears cleared up $13.5 Million in cap space by releasing Prince Amukamara and Taylor Gabriel. <\/p>\n<p>Did they make the right decision?<\/p>\n<p>DETAILS: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qEf6PSrAcE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/qEf6PSrAcE<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6KTCgVnSfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/6KTCgVnSfw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Bears on CHSN (@CHSN_Bears) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CHSN_Bears\/status\/1230977324386062336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 21, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Here We Go A-Ginn<\/h3>\n<p>Unlike the undrafted Gabriel, Ginn was taken ninth overall by the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams2\/dolphins\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Miami Dolphins<\/a> in 2007. Expectations for him were (probably impossibly) high and Ginn has since spent time with four different organizations, including two separate stints with the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams2\/panthers\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Carolina Panthers<\/a>. His tenure with the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams2\/saints\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New Orleans Saints<\/a> was as mixed as the rest of his career.<\/p>\n<p>Alternating between healthy and injury-marred seasons, Ginn caught 53 of 70 targets for 787 yards (three yards short of his career-high) and four touchdowns in his first year on the bayou. He only appeared in five games in 2018 while dealing with injuries. 2019 saw him reel in 30 passes (56 targets) for 421 yards and a pair of scores.<\/p>\n<p>Ginn\u2019s hands, however, have been consistently inconsistent. In 13 seasons, Ginn has had a 60 percent cath rate or better three times and is at 54.2 percent for his career. One of those was his two-target, two-catch second season with the San Francisco 49ers. Even his stellar 2015, when he put up a 44\/739\/10 line, he only caught 45.4 percent of passes thrown his way.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ted Ginn Jr. still has the burners \ud83d\udd25<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NOvsCHI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#NOvsCHI<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oOgiK4p8TU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/oOgiK4p8TU<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFLonFOX\/status\/1186047747507384320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 20, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Why\u2019d Out<\/h3>\n<p>So if Ginn is older, at least as injury prone, and has worse hands, why did the Bears bring him in? Well, aside from the aforementioned cap relief, Chicago still needed a deep threat to keep defenses honest and Gabriel was still third on the team in yards per reception. Ginn averaged 14 yards per grab last season so he should still be able to fill that role.<\/p>\n<p>We also cannot forget that while the Bears were in 11-personnel 63 percent of the time, that is still only the middle of the pack. The third receiver in this offense isn\u2019t any more important than in most. And <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/R\/RobiAl02.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Allen Robinson<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=MillAn00,MillAn02&amp;search=Anthony+Miller&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anthony Miller<\/a><\/strong> will still be the top targets among the wide receivers.<\/p>\n<p>The Bears also have some raw youngsters that could surprise. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/R\/RidlRi00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Riley Ridley<\/a><\/strong> was a fourth-round pick last year but didn\u2019t make much of an impact as a rookie. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/W\/WimsJa00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Javon Wims<\/a><\/strong> has great size but hasn\u2019t broken through in two seasons. Both could have a leg up on the incoming Ginn even if they are different types of players. Rookie fifth-rounder <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MoonDa00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Darnell Mooney<\/strong><\/a> is a wild card and is very much in the Ginn mold.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Airing of the Grievances<\/h3>\n<p>Chicago also upgraded their tight end group with the additions of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/G\/GrahJi00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jimmy Graham<\/a><\/strong> and rookie <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/2020\/02\/26\/cole-kmet-2020-nfl-draft-profile\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Cole Kmet<\/strong><\/a>. While they run different routes than Ginn will, having a reliable safety blanket underneath could result in less desperate heaves. At any rate, no one should be looking for Ginn to come in and be good for anything more than a splash play here and there.<\/p>\n<p>Expectations on the outside aren\u2019t high for Ridley, Wims, or Mooney; at least right now (Wims may be on borrowed time). Perhaps the organization feels similarly, thus the addition of Ginn. But it\u2019s hard to call Ginn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pff.com\/nfl\/players\/ted-ginn\/3625\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">an upgrade<\/a>. Even Pro Football Focus <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pff.com\/nfl\/players\/taylor-gabriel\/9002\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rated Gabriel higher<\/a> last season, and the Ohio State product was the one who was healthy for the entire campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps you could throw in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/P\/PattCo00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cordarrelle Patterson<\/a><\/strong> as a dark-horse to emerge on the outside. He certainly has shown a willingness to do whatever is asked of him. But he seems more like a candidate for the chopping block with a $5.75 million cap hit but only a $1 million dead cap hit.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>Can Ginn Provide What Gabriel Couldn\u2019t?<\/h3>\n<p>The honest answer is the Bears don\u2019t need Ginn to give them anything more than Gabriel did. With the additions made to the other pass-catchers and improved play from the backs, offensive line, and quarterback, the need for more should be minimized. If it isn\u2019t, and the Bears find themselves relying heavily on a 35-year old with sketchy hands, some folks up top better start looking for employment elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"t9qAmu7oQ3Vfk8GV1U_PLg\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/867916718\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'t9qAmu7oQ3Vfk8GV1U_PLg',sig:'zomuTiR0RCWm3TlXfuBOZEmS6FVSiSPWYSvFM_mlWaM=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'867916718',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can Ted Ginn provide the Chicago Bears what Taylor Gabriel couldn&#8217;t during his time in the Windy City? At 35, it\u2019s fair for fans to wonder. The latter was cut in part for cap reasons but his play often left them wanting for more. So, can the older Ginn meet (and possibly surpass) Gabriel\u2019s production [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2879,"featured_media":89933,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23,54],"tags":[442,3495,42,6188,935,6605,61,5539,239,3385,40,4990,1310,3313],"class_list":["post-89930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bears","category-editorials","tag-allen-robinson","tag-anthony-miller","tag-chicago-bears","tag-cole-kmet","tag-cordarrelle-patterson","tag-darnell-mooney","tag-football","tag-javon-wims","tag-jimmy-graham","tag-matt-nagy","tag-nfl","tag-riley-ridley","tag-taylor-gabriel","tag-ted-ginn"],"modified_by":"Josh Buckhalter","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2879"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89930"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89930\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}