Receiver Ted Ginn, a special-teams dynamo who was the ninth overall pick in the 2007 in Miami but who has yet to become a high-end pass-catcher, has gotten 2011 off to a great start by breaking open San Fran’s Week One win over the Seahawks by returning both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown after the Seahawks had narrowed the fourth-quarter gap to 19-17.
Per a league source, Ginn recently took a significant reduction in his base salary, presumably under the threat of being cut. (Fortunately for the Niners, he blinked.) On September 4, Ginn inked a new deal that dropped his base salary from $2.2 million to $1 million. The deal also allows Ginn to earn up to $400,000 back via incentives.
But here’s the biggest incentive. The Niners eliminated the sixth and final year of his rookie contract, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2011 season.
Based on his performance from Sunday, any team who needs a kick or punt returner needs to put Ginn at the top of the 2012 wish list.
