Ginn chooses 49ers over Vikings

Receiver/return man Ted Ginn Jr. signed a one-year deal to return to the 49ers after visiting the Vikings this week.

The San Francisco 49ers re-signed wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. to a one-year contract after the free-agent receiver/return man visited the Vikings earlier this week.

“We are glad that Ted has decided to return to the 49ers in 2012," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said in the team’s release. “He is a versatile player and an excellent teammate that will continue to play an important role for us on both offense and special teams.”

Ginn’s main value comes as a return man, but the 49ers already had signed receivers Randy Moss and Mario Manningham before Ginn re-signed.

Last year, Ginn returned 29 kicks for 800 yards (27.6-yard average) and one touchdown. In 2010, he returned 47 kicks for 992 yards (21.1 average). That continued a trend of kick-return success in Miami, where eclipsed 1,000-yard seasons in 2009 (1,296 yards on 52 returns) and his rookie season of 2007 (1,433 yards on 63 returns). For his career, he has averaged 23.2 yards per return and has three touchdowns.

Last year, the Vikings averaged 26.9 yards on 53 kickoff returns, but Lorenzo Booker, who led the team with 19 returns, hasn’t been re-signed and is a restricted free agent. Percy Harvin (32.5-yard average) and Marcus Sherel (27.8) returned 16 kickoffs each.

The 49ers also used Ginn extensively as a punt returner the last two seasons. In 2011, he returned a career-high 38 punts for 466 yards (12.3) and a touchdown. In 2010, it was 24 punt returns for 321 yards (13.4 average) and a touchdown. He has three touchdowns and an 11.2-yard average on punt returns over his five-year career.

He also has seven fumbles as a punt returner, but only one in the last two seasons over a combined 62 returns.

Last year, Marcus Sherels averaged 8.4 yards on 33 returns for the Vikings.

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Tim Yotter is the publisher of Viking Update. Follow Viking Update on Twitter and discuss this topic on our message boards. To become a subscriber to the Viking Update web site or magazine, click here.

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