Chad Ochocinco grew up in the Miami area and now he is taking his football talents to the NFL franchise that resides in the city. As a Dolphins fan I was a bit taken aback to see that they went out and signed Ochocinco, as he has been more of a player that is all about attention in the past and at 34 years old I wonder how much he has left in the tank. So, the question remains, will Ochocinco be an asset or a liability for the Dolphins?
Thin at Receiver
After losing Brandon Marshall to a trade with the Chicago Bears and not drafting wide receivers until later rounds, the Miami Dolphins appear on the surface to be thin at the wide receiver position. However, when looking at Ochocinco's stats last season he only caught 15 passes for a total of 276 yards while with the New England Patriots, though he was not their premier receiver. The question is, will he produce more than those numbers for the Fins?
More Controversy Possible
As a Dolphins fan I really loved the production of Brandon Marshall on the football field, but I couldn't stand the constant controversy he created for the team. While I was sad to see his football talents go, I was happy that the drama was now the problem of all the Bears fans. Now the Dolphins have a player who is equally able to create controversy and he is going to be in Miami, which is a place that is easy to get into trouble.
The Good
Chad Ochocinco has been playing in the NFL since 2001. Over 11 seasons in the pros he's had seven that have seen him go over the 1,000 yard mark in receiving yards. Though he hasn't had a 1,000 yard season since 2009, he does have 11,059 receiving yards in his career. So, the potential for some really big things to happen are there, but the Ochocinco that shows up for the 2012 season remains to be seen.
Which Ochocinco Is Coming?
Chad Ochocinco is known for some off-the-wall things. The best example is legally changing his last name to his jersey number in Spanish, even though in translation it is incorrect. It appears that he will wear the number 85 jersey for the Fins, but what isn't clear is which Ochocinco will the Dolphins get? The somewhat quieter and reserved one that played in New England or the typical one that loves attention? In my opinion he will be one that will bring lots of attention to the team, but as long as he is also bringing lots of receiving yards and touchdowns with him then I'm sure he will be embraced by the faithful Miami Dolphins fans. Hopefully, he will prove to be an asset and not a liability.
Jimmy Collins has been a loyal "Dolfan" and fan of the NFL since he was six years old when he met Dan Marino and several other Miami Dolphins players. Still a resident of South Florida, he attends numerous Miami Dolphins games each season and enjoys writing about the NFL and the Miami Dolphins in particular.
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