Former Ravens wide receiver Brandon Stokley is in a unique position to discuss Gary Kubiak's move from Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator to Denver Broncos head coach.
During his 15-year NFL career, Stokley spent five seasons with the Ravens and four with the Broncos, and he now serves as an analyst for Altitude Sports in Denver.
Stokley joined Glenn Clark Radio Jan. 19 to talk about Kubiak's new gig and what's next for the Ravens.
"He's a great coach," Stokley said of Kubiak. "You saw what he did with Baltimore this year, and I thought it was really, really impressive. Coming from the 2013 season to the way they played last year offensively, it looked like Joe [Flacco] was back to the Joe before. It was just impressive what they did. And their running game was back to the Baltimore Ravens running game, and so he's a really good football coach and he's a really good offensive coordinator, so I think it's all around a great hire."
As for how much of the credit Kubiak deservers for the numbers Flacco posted during the 2014 season, Stokley said there were a number of factors at play.
"Obviously, he's a really good quarterback, but I think Gary Kubiak and his offense and his style just fit with Joe perfectly and it was just a great mesh," Stokley said. "… You saw the year before where the offense just struggled so bad, and I was there for that year and it was hard believing that they were going to bounce back as well as they did this year. They added a couple of pieces to the offensive line, Justin Forsett looked great, but I think a lot of credit has to go to Gary Kubiak."
As the Ravens embark on another search for a new offensive coordinator, the team's fourth going into head coach John Harbaugh's eighth season, Stokley said keeping the same system might be a smart move for the Ravens.
"I think if you're Baltimore and coach [John] Harbaugh and Steve Bisciotti, you want to keep that same offense, that same scheme," Stokley said. "It just seems like it was the perfect fit for Joe, and just for the Baltimore Ravens' style of football. I think it's a great fit, and if you can, you would want to keep that same style of football."
The question then becomes, who is the right man to lead the offense for 2015 and beyond? For Stokley, one possible answer is current Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase.
"I don't think he would necessarily be the Gary Kubiak offense," Stokley said, "but I've been around him for a while, he's a great offensive coordinator, he works really well with quarterbacks, and I know Peyton [Manning] loves him, so I think he would be a great fit there also."
Speaking of Manning, will Kubiak have the luxury of running an offense that revolves around the five-time NFL MVP?
"I don't think he's done," Stokley said. "I think he's still got good football left in him, and I'm hoping to be able to see that for another year. If you're a Denver Broncos fan, you'd be crazy if you didn't want that guy back, so hopefully he comes back and is the Peyton Manning that I've watched for 16 years."
And for the Ravens, regardless of who they bring in as the team's new offensive coordinator, the team will have some decisions to make as far as what the receiving corps looks like next year.
Stokley said Ravens fans shouldn't "hold their breath" for Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who he expects the Broncos would franchise if they can't work out a new contract. But one of the team's other free agents could be a different story. Stokley said he expects the Broncos to let tight end Julius Thomas become a free agent.
"When healthy, he's as good as there is out there," Stokley said of Julius Thomas. " … He's been having a bad ankle for years now, but when healthy, he's as dynamic as there is out there. He can stretch the field vertically. He's got really good hands. He's a great red zone option and threat for an offense, so I think he definitely would be a good fit for Joe and for the Ravens offense."
As for the Ravens' own potential free agent wide receiver, Torrey Smith, Stokley said "I think sometimes he's overlooked and you don't appreciate what you've got there." But any appreciation in the form of a new contract would have to come at the right price.
"Maybe he's not the Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas type of number one receiver," Stokley said, "but he's still a solid receiver who can make some big plays for you. … I hope to see him back there, but at the end of the day, I think he's probably gone."
If Smith is headed to free agency, is it time for the Ravens to draft a wide receiver?
"At the end of the day, the Ravens are a defense, hit you in the mouth, run the ball and make some plays in the passing game [team,] and that's what they are," Stokley said. "So, when you look at the list of what you want when you're drafting as a Ravens organization, you would rather get the defensive guy or the offensive lineman or somebody else in that first round than a receiver, and from their perspective, that's what I think they look at."
But one name Stokley thinks the Ravens might want to consider is Larry Fitzgerald, who has played every game of his 11-year NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals.
"I think that would be a good fit for the Ravens. Absolutely. I don't think he's washed up at all. But again, it's the right price for a guy like that. You're not going to overpay if you're the Baltimore Ravens and Ozzie Newsome. You're not going to overpay for Larry Fitzgerald because he's not the same player he was five years ago, and you've got some good young receivers there. You've got a good team. You're a defensive football team and a running football team, so you're not going to overpay for somebody like that."
For more from Stokley, including his take on Marlon Brown and the Ravens' young receivers, listen to the full interview:
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