Once 49ers training camp gets going, there will be a whole host of storylines to follow. As we approach training camp, we'll take a look at some of these storylines, both big and small.
While the big discussions will be things like how Alex Smith looks and how the top of the receiver corps performs, Ted Ginn Jr. finds himself with some question marks heading into camp. Ginn missed the NFC championship game due to an injury to his right knee, and that same knee appears to be causing him further problems.
There is no word on whether Ginn had any surgery this offseason, but he was unable to participate in any of the offseason workouts. Although Ginn was incredibly strong as a return man last year, he appeared to get little interest on the open market. Maybe the knee had something to do with it?
Whatever the case, when camp opens it will be worth keeping an eye on Ginn and how quickly he is back in action. We know what Ginn can do as a return man, so getting up to speed is not as big a deal as it might otherwise be. However, if he misses camp, that gives other guys more opportunities to get some reps in the return game. Furthermore, if the 49ers planned on getting Ginn some wide receiver reps early in camp, that opens up more reps for the younger receivers.
I continue to believe Ginn is on the roster when the 49ers regular season starts on September 9. At the same time, these kinds of things open the door for some of the other players. Whether they can take advantage of these opportunities is another question entirely.