The Washington Redskins already have five tight ends on their roster, but with three of them coming off major injuries, the team chose to add more depth by signing veteran Vernon Davis on Thursday, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Davis, a Washington native, finished last season with the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos after being traded from the San Francisco 49ers. The 10-year veteran was drafted by the 49ers sixth overall out of Maryland in 2006 and has caught 461 passes for 5,841 yards and 55 touchdowns in 148 career games.
General manager Scot McCloughan, who was the 49ers vice president of player personnel when the team drafted Davis, has a strong connection with the tight end and raved about him during the owners meetings in Boca Raton, Florida.
“It’s one of those guys that he’s never really been injured because his genetics are so incredible,” McCloughan said of Davis, who visited the Redskins on March 10. “He can block, he can run, he can catch. All of a sudden we add another weapon to the offense, and d-coordinators are going to understand we’re coming at them.”
Last season, Jordan Reed had a breakout season as one of the best pass-catching tight ends, hauling in 87 catches for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns. In the preseason, Niles Paul broke his ankle, Logan Paulsen had surgery for a turf toe injury and both missed the 2015 season. The Redskins acquired Derek Carrier from the San Francisco 49ers at the stat of last season, but is rehabbing after tearing his ACL and MCL in December. The Redskins re-signed Paulsen and also have Marcel Jensen on the roster.
The Redskins favored two-tight end sets last season and Reed and Davis could give the team a strong combination. Davis, 32, was one of the league’s premier tight-end targets from 2009 through 2013, but his production has dipped the last two seasons and it will be interesting to see what he has left.
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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