Van is a fine young man by all accounts and since childhood a student of the game. He came in over-prepared, if anything, to function at the pro level, having grown up underhis father's coaching and inspiration.
He's fast, and a student of the game who can lern routes and concepts.
I've questioned his hands. Some of that can be fixed. Larry Fitzgerald's weakness coming in was his hands; same was true of Jerry Rice. They both worked on it and it didn't take long - now look: Both of them renowned for their sure hands over the passage of their Gold Jacket career.
Fitzgerald carried little rubber squeeze balls with him and worked them incessantly. How you use those strong hands is another part of it. On the play in question Van looked like he was trying to catch a football with baseball bats.
It loked to me live like Van could have spotted the ball in flight and adjusted his speed and direction to have it meet him eye-high, which is where you want that throw, onhis way to a sure TD. Instead he didn't adjust to the ball at all - and looked like he was trying to high-point it. After seeing the clip I think he simply misjudged where a where he could have adjusted to the ball and made the catch. Stafford was trying to lead him into the green grass closest to the goal line fromwhere he was.
I've read others here saing that Van's weakness is trackingthe ball. I'm not sure that's a coachable skill. It's a little like reading all the articles ever written on wingshooting and shooting two rounds of trap a day, and not being able to lead a duck. The natural wing shot just does it. It's a neurological thing at some point.
It looks to me like there are limits to Van's physical game and he's hit them. We've seen his ceiling.
When Coop returns the WR trio will be him, Puka, Tutu. As a fourth we have a new guy I haven't seen enough of to base an opinion, and the ever-reliable Skow. Van has yet to show that he's that reliable fourth wide receiver. With a healthy Coop and Puka, and a much-improved Tutu, he's no longer number two or three.
