Ginn, Satele impress at minicamp

BY SARAH ROTHSCHILD

srothschild@MiamiHerald.com

The Dolphins saw underwhelming performances from several of their 2006 draft picks last season, but after the completion of minicamp Sunday, Cam Cameron had high praise for two rookies -- Ted Ginn and Samson Satele.

Ginn, the ninth pick in the draft, finished his first minicamp, and spent five practices sharing time as a return specialist and wide receiver since Friday. Satele, selected in the second round (60th overall), took snaps as the starting center.

Ginn is about 90 percent healthy after sustaining a foot sprain five months ago, but that didn't slow him. The former Ohio State standout showed speed as a returner, and routinely breezed past the secondary in passing drills.

''He was everything I thought he was and then some,'' Cameron said.

Cameron, who has a rule about not making comparisons, couldn't help but liken Ginn to a star wide receiver he coached as an assistant at the University of Michigan.

He blurted ''Des-,'' before stopping short of saying Desmond Howard, a Heisman Trophy winner at Michigan who went on to become a Super Bowl MVP with the Green Bay Packers in 1996 and a Pro Bowl player in 2000. Cameron relented and said, ``You mean Desmond . . . there are some legit comparisons.''

Cameron said Ginn's ability to handle returning punts and kickoffs in ''tough weather'' is a major plus, as is his prowess on special teams.

''There are a ton of receivers in this league who have no interest in being that punt returner,'' Cameron said.

He also was struck by how Ginn seems to catch the ball ``so effortlessly.''

Cameron characterized Ginn's development at receiver as a ``work in progress.''

Ginn, who has not spent most of his career as a receiver, needs to work on routes and technique.

''We're trying to make it as hard on him as we can,'' Cameron said. ``We're putting him on the line of scrimmage where he can't move. The worst thing we can do for him is to start moving him around and doing all the stuff where he can get free access.''

Cameron said Satele, a former University of Hawaii offensive lineman, demonstrated grit. In the past week, Cameron said Satele had five root canals, something this 6-3, 300-pounder didn't initially reveal.

''He never flinched, never said a word,'' Cameron said. ``I have never been around a guy that practiced a whole practice with one root canal. One thing we know is he is smart and he's tough, which goes a long way at that position. We're very pleased with his progress.''

PORTER ACHING

Linebacker Joey Porter did not participate in Sunday's minicamp because of back spasms, Porter and Cameron said. Porter began the practice icing his right knee -- the same knee he wore a brace on Friday and Saturday.

Cameron said Porter looked ''outstanding'' this weekend and let him rest as a precautionary measure.

NOTABLE

Defensive tackle Chase Page did not practice and rode a bike because of what Cameron characterized as a hamstring tweak.

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