While most parts of the 49ers offense took off when Colin Kaepernick took over as quarterback last year, tight end Vernon Davis saw his production drop in the regular season.
Davis caught just six passes in the final five games of the regular season and was open about the need to build chemistry with a new quarterback who played a very different style than Alex Smith. Things seemed to trend upward in the postseason -- Davis had 11 catches for 210 yards and a touchdown in the final two games of the year -- and Davis said that the two men have continued to click during the offseason.
“We bond really well. We play, we joke away from the field,” Davis said, via Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. “That’s very important, especially when it comes to having a relationship with your quarterback. You want to be able to joke with this guy. It’s about what you do away from here. Colin and I are going to work on the field but how’s your relationship away from the field. It’s always been good. Just like me and Alex.”
The 49ers would be wise to do anything they can to encourage the friendship because Michael Crabtree’s injury makes Davis a very important player for the offense in 2013. The production from the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl or something close to it is going to need to be a part of the offense for the 49ers to make another splash in the playoffs.