Monday, June 11, 2012

For Dolphins' receiving corps, Ochocinco won't hurt

Photo: Beth Hart, Flickr 
BY NICK ST. DENIS

The Dolphins weren't very interesting at receiver, and Chad Ochocinco hadn't generated much interest himself. But the two together could work.

Ochocinco, who was released by the Patriots last weekend, reportedly signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins Monday, according to NFL.com

Before Monday, Miami's receiving corps was led by Brian Hartline and Davone Bess. Not exactly an overwhelming group. The Dolphins are young at the position and could have one of their up-and-comers have a surprise season, but they couldn't depend on that with a quarterback situation that is unsettled.

Miami is holding a three-way competition for the starting signal-caller gig between rookie Ryan Tannehill, incumbent starter Matt Moore and veteran David Garrard. Whoever wins that bout will likely want a relatively-settled receiver depth chart to work with at the start of the season.

Ochocinco struggled mightily during his year stint with the Patriots, catching just 15 passes the entire season. He clearly had a very difficult time grasping New England's scheme, which is complex on all fronts. He had trouble remembering and recognizing where to line up and how to run routes, something that was also an issue during his time with the Bengals.

However, Ochocinco's raw ability is undeniable. He tallied seven 1,000-plus yard seasons in an eight-year span from 2002 to 2009, and a couple NFL executive sources of NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah thought he has something left in the tank. They were impressed with his tape from 2010, a season in which he made 67 receptions, four for touchdowns.

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