It appears as if San Fransisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis is going to be one of the most talked about players heading into next week's trade deadline, but there are obstacles if the 49ers want to deal him away.
49ers unlikely to find trade partner for Vernon Davis
San Francisco will likely struggle to find a team willing to take on Davis’ salary and surrender a draft pick for a declining player.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported last week the 49ers are fielding calls on Davis, who is in the final year of his contract. The 2006 first-round pick is off to a dismal start, only catching 12 balls for 170 yards in five games played this season. He was thrown to six times in San Francisco's 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport followed up with a report Sunday, saying Davis' future with San Francisco is "unclear." New head coach Jim Tomsula and offensive coordinator Geep Chryst have phased Davis out of the offense, though in fairness, no one has really been a star in the 49ers' league-worst offense. But fourth-year tight end Garrett Celek has been featured a little more prominently in the 49ers' passing attack, catching 15 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown reception.
Despite Davis’ track record of success, the 49ers could have problems finding a suitor for the two-time Pro Bowler. For starters, the 31-year-old is owed $4.35 million this season. Any team that trades for him would still be on the hook for roughly half of that cash. That’s a hefty price to pay, considering Davis’ production has fallen off a cliff over the last two years. In 2014, Davis only caught 26 passes for 245 yards in 14 games. That was a stark drop-off from his 2013 campaign, in which he caught 52 passes for 850 yards with 13 touchdown passes.
Surrendering a couple of million dollars and a pick is a lot to give up for a player with a declining skill set, especially if he’d be unhappy. Davis told Comcast SportsNet Bay Area on Saturday he’d be “highly upset and highly disappointed” if the 49ers decided to deal him away.
It’s no guarantee that a player whose name is bandied about in trade rumors will actually be traded. Davis’ situation in San Francisco could be a reminder of that.
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