The 49ers lost a Super Bowl to the Ravens in February that went down to the wire, which was an unfortunate way for the season to come to an end but hardly casts a pall over a season that was filled with success.
Not every member of the team left the year feeling good about those accomplishments, however. Wide receiver /kick returner Ted Ginn is hoping to put last year behind him as quickly as possible.
“I want to get back on track,” Ginn said, via the Associated Press. “Last year was a tough season. We went to the Super Bowl. But individually, I didn’t feel like I got the proper reps I was supposed to.”
Ginn has made no secret of his desire to see more time on offense, something that didn’t happen in San Francisco despite season-ending injuries to both Mario Manningham and Kyle Williams. He feels he’s been “bashed” over the years as a player that’s nothing but a specialist and is looking forward to getting a chance to prove that assessment wrong in the coming season.
He’s been talked up by both coach Ron Rivera and quarterback Cam Newton as a deep threat who can make an impact on the offense, another familiar refrain from Ginn’s career and one that has never really been confirmed on the field. Without terribly imposing competition for snaps behind Steve Smith and Brandon LeFell, this is as good a shot as Ginn will have to become an offensive contributor. It’s also likely his last one, which makes it all the more pressing for Ginn to break through in 2013.