Washington Redskins Rumors: Vernon Davis Signing Will Be Huge

The Washington Redskins rumors have been flying this offseason, but they may have made one of the most underrated moves of the entire offseason. Vernon Davis was signed to a one-year deal, and it is a move that could end up being huge for the Redskins in 2016.

The Skins have agreed to terms with free agent TE Vernon Davis. The DC native is returning home

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 31, 2016

Davis has had a rough past couple seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos, but there is no denying his ability. He is getting older, but his career is not over just yet. Washington will not be asking him to fill the role of a No. 1 tight end but will rather ask him to be a No. 2 tight end that will be used in exactly the way that he needs to be.

Kirk Cousins showed major promise last season as the Redskins’ starting quarterback, and they wanted to bring in more weapons for him to work with.

How will Davis end up being used this coming season? He will be a second tight end that can stretch the field and make plays down the middle for Cousins. There is no question that he still possesses the speed and athleticism to be a threat, but he has not had the right situation to prove that.

Last season split between the 49ers and Broncos, Davis had one of the worst seasons of his career. He caught 38 passes for 395 yards and no touchdowns.

Those numbers are the reason that Davis struggled to find a team willing to give him a deal in free agency. Even with the low numbers, however, the Redskins were willing to give him a chance.

At 32-years-old, Davis will be out to prove that he is not done in the NFL. He will have an uphill battle to fight in order to prove that, but Washington gives him a great stage to do it. Cousins has utilized his tight ends well throughout his short NFL career, and that will continue with Jordan Reed and Davis.

It will be very intriguing to see what kind of season Davis ends up having with the Redskins in 2016.

His season could go one of two ways in his new situation. Davis could either break out and be a major threat for the Redskins or continue on the disappointing path that he has been on over the last two seasons.

While it would make a lot of sense to expect Davis to continue being a non-factor, that would be a big mistake. Just a couple years back in the 2013 NFL season, Davis caught 13 touchdown passes. Cousins likely won’t find him for 13 this season, but he will look to Davis as a security blanket.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ7BXy1SpzM

Obviously, Davis isn’t going to put up superstar numbers, but that isn’t what the Redskins need from him. They simply need a consistent presence who can make plays down the field and create mismatches.

There have been a lot of signings so far this offseason, but this one may very well be the lowest risk with the highest potential reward of all of them.

Washington proved that they are a playoff-caliber team last season, and they should take a step forward this year. They have done an excellent job of making the right moves and building slowly in the right direction, and that is exactly why fans should have faith in the Davis signing. The Redskins obviously believe he can still be an impact player, and they haven’t been wrong too many times in recent history.

Do you think Vernon Davis will end up being a major pickup for the Washington Redskins this coming season? Can he turn his career around and get things back on track?

[Photo by Tony Avelar/AP]