Tight end Vernon Davis, a Washington native who was traded to the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos midway through last season, will meet with members of the Washington Redskins’ staff at Redskins Park on Friday, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
Davis, 32, spent parts of his first nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, who drafted him out of Maryland with the No. 6 pick in draft in 2006. A two-time Pro Bowler, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Davis had 38 catches for 395 yards last season and was traded from the 49ers to the Broncos on Nov. 2.
Although Davis’ production has slipped in recent years — he had 52 catches for 850 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2013 — he could be an asset for the Redskins, who weathered a number of injuries to tight ends last season and will return a trio of pass-catching players at the position in Jordan Reed, Derek Carrier and Niles Paul.
The NFL’s free agent signing period opened on Wednesday, and while a number of players found new homes, the Redskins remained relatively quiet, choosing only to finalize deals with four of their own pending free agents.
Davis, who did not have a catch in the Super Bowl, will be joined on the visit by former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Andre Branch, according to multiple reports. Branch, a second-round pick out of Clemson in 2012, played in 13 game for the Jaguars last season and had four sacks and forced two fumbles.
At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Branch would likely be asked to shoulder additional responsibilities as an outside linebacker in the Redskins’ base 3-4 defense.
SEE ALSO: As expected, Redskins remain relatively quiet as free agent signing period opens
Davis, who traveled to the Washington area on Thursday, grew up off Georgia Avenue in Northwest Washington and has remained committed to charitable initiatives in his hometown.
“In Washington, D.C., it’s a bit of a struggle coming up, but you know, you always want to keep in mind everything that you had to go through to get out of there, and all the memories and experiences that you had along the way,” Davis told The Washington Times in 2013, before the 49ers traveled to play the Redskins.
“I just keep those things in mind, and when I do get back, or when I contribute, or I just show my face and try to be an influence to the kids in the community — it means a lot. It means a lot to me and it shows my growth and how far along I’ve come.”
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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