No. They surely expected him to be an immediate sensation as a pass-catcher, unleashing his freakish size and speed to become a big-play threat from anywhere on the field.
Does that mean
Bust has many connotations. One is that a player -- such as Davis who received a guaranteed $9.36 million option bonus and a $1.885 roster bonus as a rookie - got the money and then stopped working.
"If I put on 50 pounds and be a tackle, I'd probably be the best tackle that every lived,"
And, you know what? He's probably right.
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By my count, he was on the field for 51 pass plays the past two weeks (
He was the target of only two passes in those games. On both of those, he started out as a blocker, then released into the flat. He caught one of those passes and turned it into a 19-yard gain; he dropped the other pass several yards behind the line of scrimmage.
* * *
Martz also cited one of the early plays in last week's game in which Delanie Walker was wide open on a shallow right-to-left crossing route. On that play, two defenders were on
"They were running like crazy trying to catch (
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I've mentioned in the past that
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MARTZ'S TIGHT ENDS
Here are the statistics for the top pass-catching tight ends in Mike Martz's offenses with the Rams and Lions:
1999, Rams: Roland Williams 25 catches, 226 yards, 6 TDs
2000, Rams: Williams 11-102-3
2001, Rams: Ernie Conwell 38-431-4
2002, Rams: Conwell 34-419-2
2003, Rams: Brandon Manumaleuna 29-238-2
2004, Rams: Manumaleuna 15-174-1
2005, Rams: Manumaleuna 13-129-1
2006, Lions: Dan Campbell 21-308-4
2007, Lions: Sean McHugh 17-252-0
2008, 49ers: Currently on pace for - Vernon Davis 16-278-0, Delanie Walker 16-234-3.
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Catching up: Former 49ers fullback Moran Norris signed with the Lions yesterday. He was among the 49ers' final cuts before the start of the regular season.
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Funny you should mention the tackle comment. I know it was facetious but I was just thinking about that yesterday. Since Left Tackles get paid more than tight ends, it would actually be a good career move for him. I know it will never happen, but man, I would love to see that. Talk about revolutionizing a position.
Matt, it's funny that you mention about Davis being a tackle. He does catch like a lineman.
On Davis and his blocking ability, why not line him up on the right side to provide help for Sims? In watching last week's game, I feel that JTO leaves the pocket early due to the fact that he doesn't trust Sims to hold his block, hence the rolling out to the left side.
Is there any chance that Sims will be replaced by either Snyder or Rachal soon? He is seriously getting schooled out there. I won't mention J. Jennings since he's still got that splinter in his pinky finger.
I was actually thinking bust before I read your article. I think I agree with what you are saying. And I believe Martz is right. If someone goes to sleep on him he will make a huge play. It's only a matter of time. He would be a bust if he didn't draw as much attention from opposing defenses. I bet he scares the hell out of D coordinators across the league. I recall the Packer game in '06 when he made a huge run and catch for a T.D. and it was all him. This guy can make plays, and I believe he will be able to catch better. He is not the sharpest crayon in the box, either. He is probably still making mistakes while trying to learn this playbook. Believe me, I expected more from him, but he is still a freakish athlete. I trust that Martz(who does everything for a reason) will have success with or without Davis catching the ball. He is a pretty awsome decoy. I am predicting that he will have 2-4 huge games this year because teams are going to go to sleep on him. Lets hope the rest of the league considers him a bust as well.
Matt, why then don't they put in Rachel to block for VD so JTO has time for VD deep?
Maybe that's why JTO has been sacked so many times this year! Maybe they shouldn't rely on their TE to block so much.
Matt, I don't know if this is connected to Davis or not, but it seems to me that the offense hardly ever uses the short-drop look-in or look-out pass when we need 3 to 5 or 6 yards. Am I right? And if so, why not?
Yes, and with his "outstanding" blocking ability, JTO is probably the most sacked QB in the league.
He came out of the draft billed as a touchdown machine, he is not. Blocking skills aside (which don't mean a hoot if the QB still gets sacked) ............Vernon Davis is probably one of the most prolific dropper of passes ever.
Vernon "The Bust" Davis.
I'd be happy if he just caught the pass and got tackled at this point. At least then the passes thrown his way would mean something other than another dropped pass.
Anyone know where a guy can get stats on dropped passes?
Matt, if you recall after the 49ers made Davis their selection in that year's draft, Nolan (as he went into full used-car-salesman mode) said, "I feel we not only got the best TE in the draft, but we got the best WR also". Better than Santonio Holmes, Greg Jennings, Brandon Marshall, Marques Colston, etc. There is no way you take a TE at #6 unless you think you are getting the next Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates - no way. He is an absolute bust. But hey, 2 out of 3 ain't bad, right?
Westbrook offically OUT:
Eagles running back Brian Westbrook will miss Sunday’s game at San Francisco with broken ribs.
Coach Andy Reid said at his press conference today that Westbrook, guard Shawn Andrews, wide receiver Reggie Brown and safety J.R. Reed will all be out Sunday.
Why stop at VD when assessing the "bust" question? It's time to put GM Scot McCloughan on the Budweiser Hot Seat: 1) Alex Smith, No. 1 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft -- bust. Reason: He could not beat out journeyman JTO in his fourth year. 2) David Baas, a selection or two removed from a 1st Round pick -- bust. Reason: It's the fourth year for him too, and he's still riding the pine. 3) VD, No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft -- bust. Reason: He can't catch the ball; total hands of stone. You don't spend the 6th pick in the draft on a blocking TE; you spend a Round 6 pick. 4) Manny Lawson, 1st Round pick -- semi-bust. Reason: He was drafted as a speed rusher, but Nolan has already given up on that. Thankfully, he has coverage skills, or he would be the best R1 special teams player in the NFL. Of course, with the "Big Sub," he's got a good view standing next to Baas most of the game. 5) Brandon Williams, 3rd Round -- bust. Never had it, never will. 6) Jonas Jennings, high-priced left tackle -- bust. Reason: Why waste ink here? 7) Nate Clements, very high priced FA -- "value-based" bust. Reason: Signed to huge money to be a lock-down corner. He's not. He's a real good corner, but not worth what Scot signed him for. 8) Sopoaga v. Douglas decision -- not a good one. Sope continues to under-perform. I don't think there's a person on this board who wouldn't swap him back for Douglas..... I could go on, but you get the picture. (Keep an eye on Balmer v. Merling over the years too.) This is a team that has now invested $35M (Jennings) a R1 (Staley), two R2s (Baas, Rachal), R3 (Snyder) and R4 (Wallace -- what was that about?) in building an O line...yet its performance doesn't live up to it. So here's the deal: If I'm ScotyMac, and I think Nolan is doing a good job, then I have to look in the mirror and ask, "Am I at fault here?" On the other hand, if I'm ScotyMac and think all these players I've brough in are good ones, then I have to take action and fire the coach -- because someone here is to blame.
Matt, didn't Davis come out of school early? He's just another young player that the coaching staff hasn't been able to get the most out of. If the Niners are mainly going to use him as a blocker surely there was good left tackle available they could have gotten with that no.6 pick. Everyone expects VD to have wide receiver hands and not drop balls but they forget even Rice dropped a lot of balls his first year. Rice had the luxury of coming into a very good established offense and had his share of passes thrown his way. Davis has been in organized ineptitude his first 3 years mostly having to block on passing plays because of the lines inability to pass protect. Get him involved in the passing game by throwing him the ball more than once or twice a game and we'll get a good read as to whether he was worth a no. 6 overall. So far it's been like buying a Ferrari for pizza delivery.
Way TOO MANY TALKERS on the 49ers these DAYS, including the HEAD COACH, and not ENOUGH PRODUCERS!! Aside from Willis and Gore there aren't any consistent PRODUCERS on this team! Don't talk like you have the Keys to winning the Super Bowl in your back pocket when you can't even produce a winning record in the last 5 years. When did LOSING and being the LAUGHING STOCK of the league become exceptable in SAN FRANCISCO???
Way too critical on the drafting. The foundation is not to draft people who can't play for you through R5. McNolan have done that OK. Where they have fallen is drafting / developing stars. This is why the team is much stronger than when they arrived but not yet a winner.
JV1979... I agree that too much talking is being done, ESPECIALLY from Nolan. The man cannot answer a yes or no question without giving a speech. We all know that actions speak louder than words so the Yorks need to silence Nolan with their action by firing him...NOW!
It sickens me to watch this team spiral into the abyss of lowliness with Nolan at the helm. This captain has gone down with this ship. It's time to salvage whatever legacy they have left by cleaning house.
I miss the days of seeing defeat in the opponents' eyes as our beloved Niners take the field.
2 things: 1. Great post NJM. 2. Anyone with any real football knowledge knows that if you have one player is by far and away your best best player on a unit, you build that unit around him. I learned that from Bill Walsh. Not personally, sadly. Patrick Willis is by far our best player on D. Yes, Justin Smith hustles, and yes, Nate Clements makes some plays. But P.Willy is our man. Build the D. round him. Maximise his skills. He can be the best in the league, a true Ray Lewis type impact player. 2 big DT's, Soap and Fields for now, Smith and McDonald on the ends, moving inside to be replaced by Haralson and Green on passing downs. Manny and Spikes on the outside, with P.Willy taking centre stage and having the D. funnel the plays to him. Geez, it's not rocket science. What the heck is this ridiculous "big sub", read and react lunacy, anyway? Build round Willis, anyone can see that, 'cept Mike Nowin. Too proud/dumb to change his philosophy to better utilize the games hottest LB prospect. Oh well, there's always next year...
Matt- Great article. It changes the way I look at Vernon and adds appreciation and respect for his current role. Having said that, a couple of other thoughts come up. First, is our offensive line really even worse than we give them credit for? After all, we get a lot of sacks. The other is that we could really use Vernon as a great pass receiving threat, and we could use Lawson as a pass rusher, etc., so is the talent evaluation just off base?
Matt- Great article. It changes the way I look at Vernon and adds appreciation and respect for his current role. Having said that, a couple of other thoughts come up. First, is our offensive line really even worse than we give them credit for? After all, we get a lot of sacks. The other is that we could really use Vernon as a great pass receiving threat, and we could use Lawson as a pass rusher, etc., so is the talent evaluation just off base?
GilroyAl,
How is throwing more passes to VD going to help him get better?
VD is in the NFL for Pete's sake! He played NCAA Football, he caught passes there, he stays after practice to run routes, he works on receiving with the QB.
Yet when game time comes around Vernon "The Bust" Davis will drop crucial passes, even with no defenders within 5 yards of him.
He's got some kinda of concentration issues. We know he is capable of catching a pass, he just doesn't do it consistently in games. Takes off up field before he has any control of the ball.
As far as the comparison with Jerry Rice; this isn't Vernon's first season in the NFL. I would wager, Vernon drops more passes than T.O. in his first three seasons.
Ultimately, his sin is that he is unreliable... and completely frustrating to watch.
GilroyAl,
How is throwing more passes to VD going to help him get better?
VD is in the NFL for Pete's sake! He played NCAA Football, he caught passes there, he stays after practice to run routes, he works on receiving with the QB.
Yet when game time comes around Vernon "The Bust" Davis will drop crucial passes, even with no defenders within 5 yards of him.
He's got some kinda of concentration issues. We know he is capable of catching a pass, he just doesn't do it consistently in games. Takes off up field before he has any control of the ball.
As far as the comparison with Jerry Rice; this isn't Vernon's first season in the NFL. I would wager, Vernon drops more passes than T.O. in his first three seasons.
Ultimately, his sin is that he is unreliable... and completely frustrating to watch.
GilroyAl,
How is throwing more passes to VD going to help him get better?
He is in the NFL for Pete's sake! He played NCAA Football, he caught passes there, he stays after practice to run routes, he works on receiving with the QB.
Yet when game time comes around Vernon "The Bust" Davis will drop crucial passes, even with no defenders within 5 yards of him.
He's got some kinda of concentration issues. We know he is capable of catching a pass, he just doesn't do it consistently in games. Takes off with up field before he has any control of the ball.
As far as the comparison with Jerry Rice; this isn't Vernon's first season in the NFL. I would wager, Vernon drops more passes than T.O. in his first three seasons.
He is frustrating to watch.
Comments section is giving me fits! 2 days now, can't post comments? Anyone else?
I think most left tackles have better hands than Davis. Though I would definitely support him gaining weight and becoming a lineman. This is like theatre of the absurd here Matt. Trying to spin Davis as a "success" is pretty ridiculous. He was drafted to be the team's #1 receiver. And the line that Hostler's historically offensive offense likely gave VD better numbers than he will achieve this year is a sign that Martz needs to include him more. VD doesn't help with his bravado and other shenanigans during games. He's kind of like our own Freddie Mitchell.