Four Downs with Stock & Doc
by Ben Stockwell and Paul Hopkins
20/3/2009
This week Stock and Doc look at the escalating mess in Denver, DeMaurice Smith's appointment to the NFLPA, Torry Holt's future career prospects and who is the next best receiver – behind Michael Crabtree – in the 2009 NFL Draft.
 Who would Denver be better off with? Jay Cutler or Josh McDaniels?
STOCK – JAY CUTLER – What this choice is essentially boils down to is that if they could have their time over, would Denver fire Mike Shanahan again to hire McDaniels, or would they simply stick with Shanahan. Well with the way boat has been rocked (well, it's a bit beyond rocked to be honest), the franchise QB wanting out, the whole city putting an inordinate amount of pressure on the new HC as a result, I can only see one answer. This last month and a bit under Josh McDaniels has been an unmitigated disaster, now it certainly hasn't cost them any wins as of yet, but if it divides the locker room (how can it not?) then it damned sure will. McDaniels has successfully destabilised one of the more stable franchises in the league, certainly there were aspects of the franchise that needed fixing, however the QB and the offence in general wasn't one of those things. If you could turn back the clock the Broncos would be well served keeping Shanahan and steering clear of this bomb site.
DOC – JAY CUTLER – Don't get me wrong, the way he's been whining and complaining is starting to tire now but him staying in Denver is far more vital to the team's upswing than that of the one-man public relations disaster that is Josh McDaniels. I actually do think that they could survive without both and possibly, in the long term be the better for it. But right now, the question for this franchise that is in cardiac arrest is who is more valuable to the long-term viability of this team. And that is Cutler. The one thing that was a positive for this team last year was the quarterback. If they'd been able to have any body at RB they'd have likely won the division. Cutler carried this team and as of right now offers more to a team that, if the defence was halfway respectable they'd have won 10 games. Instead, he was saddled with a defence that was dreadful. McDaniels has come in and the defence doesn't look like improving, and he's pissed off his franchise player. Cutler is a baby for behaving like he is, but he's done more to show he is the one the Broncos should have stuck with. But then, McDaniels is the coach and by rights he should be the voice of respect, but he has been such a bad appointment thus far it's hard to give him any respect and not side with Cutler over this.
 The appointment of an external candidate to become the new Executive Director of the NFLPA is a welcome move.
STOCK – FACT ! – At such an important juncture in labour discussions I think getting in an experienced lawyer is far more important than preserving some sort of lineage of former players as head of the Players Association. It is a positive sign that he's looking to get popular former players among the NFLPA such as Troy Vincent involved to keep the players feeling as though they are firmly represented at the top of their union, but the fact is that this is a pivotal renegotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, so the players need the right man for the job to get the best deal for them and I think an experienced lawyer is far better qualified to do that than a former player. A good move from the NFLPA, pity it took them many months longer than it needed to.
DOC – FACT ! – I don't know a lot about DeMaurice Smith. I suspect that someone like Troy Vincent might have struggled to really crack on and get a deal to lead on sorting this potential labour dispute coming next year, but that is just a hunch. Smith has the legal background needed to get to grips with the intricacies of the CBA immediately, and he needs to. Attempting to bring Vincent on board suggests to me as well that he understands the need for real continuity that the sudden passing of Gene Upshaw exposed was lacking. So, the players like him, he's made the right noises initially and he seems to have a real appetite for working together to deliver a CBA. Right man for the job.
 Torry Holt still has a lot to offer a team challenging for the Superbowl.
STOCK – FICTION ! – He has something to offer, but I don't think it's a lot, guys with arthritic knees tend not to have a great deal to offer and he certainly hasn't got much long term. He's got something left in the tank but I really don't see him as a difference maker to a playoff team looking to get over the hump. If you look at the teams that fell short last year there's plenty of places he can go and contribute and improve the receiving corps, but he's not going to propel anyone over the hump at this stage of his career.
DOC – FACT ! – Very much a fact. Whilst the last couple of years haven't been what they have in the past for Holt he still, at 32 offers a great deal to any team. True, he might not be the player he once was, but the guy makes catches and can turn a simple play into a big gain. Run through all the contenders to win in 2009 – Steelers, Patriots, Colts, Titans, Giants, Eagles and so on and you can see an opportunity for him in any of those places.
 Assuming Michael Crabtree is the best, who is the second best receiver in this year's draft?
STOCK – BRIAN ROBISKIE – Sure he doesn't fit prototypically as a wide receiver prospect for the draft, he doesn't have blazing sub 4.4 speed, he can't jump out of the stadium and so on, but to be honest, none of that makes you a great receiver. Being a great receiver is what you see on tape, Darrius Heyward-Bey has all of the tools to make a top level receiver, but he didn't even come close to putting it all together in college. Percy Harvin has some great college stats and is a truly exciting player but can he find an offence that will take full advantage of his skills? Robiskie is an NFL style receiver, he's got size, got enough speed to get separation on most routes, he runs probably the best routes of any of the day one receivers, has probably the best hands 
amongst the same receivers and he is a willing blocker to boot. That sounds like a winning formula to me. Sure he doesn't have anything eye popping from off-season workouts but that's not the be all and end all. Robiskie I think is the safest bet (including Crabtree) to be an effective and efficient receiver in the NFL of this draft class.
DOC – HAKEEM NICKS – I'm not sold on DHB, Jeremy Maclin is too slight for me and needed another year in college, I do like Percy Harvin but I wonder where he will find his role in the NFL. I took in a few Tarheel games this past year and Nicks stood out a mile. I gave him a shout-out in our Bowl recap back in January for his outstanding performance against West Virginia but he was performing strongly all year. He's the #2 receiver on my draft board. Myself and Jody's mock saw him not going second but going to the Colts, which has to be a dream for him. I genuinely think he will end up there and the Colts will have someone who can contribute from the outset.
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