Martz and Davis developing productive relationship

By Jeff Dickinson  |   Thursday, July 31, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

San Francisco 49ers
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Any fantasy football football players who already own 49ers tight end Vernon Davis have to be smiling after hearing his comments from training camp earlier this week. Davis, who is working closely with new offensive coordinator Mike Martz, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he has learned more from Martz during this summer than he had in the two previous years of his career.

Davis said that Martz has helped him realize that he was slowing down as he caught the ball instead of utilizing his 4.4 speed last season. Martz told Davis that he was running a 4.4-second route until he prepared to catch the ball. After that, Davis was displaying 4.6 speed as he prepared to bring the ball in.

To help break away from the linebackers who primarily cover Davis, Martz stressed to him that he needed to continue using his foot speed throughout his routes. All of the blame for Davis' running transgressions last season can’t be placed on the tight end, though, because anyone who saw the unstable play of San Francisco’s quarterbacks knows that the 2006 first-round pick had to catch more than a few balls that were thrown behind him.

As for this year, whether it's Shaun Hill or Alex Smith under center probably won't matter to Martz: He's going to use Davis no matter what. After all, Martz told the Chronicle that Davis is easily the most talented tight end he has ever coached, also saying that he has big plans for the ex-Maryland standout this season.

With Martz realizing how the talented Davis can help the 49ers move the ball, coupled with the fact that Davis seems to have a better grasp of his role, expect big things from the San Francisco tight end in 2008.

Training Camp: An entirely new kind of fantasy game!
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About Jeff Dickinson

I have been writing and editing professionally for 18 years. I spent the first three years of my career as a sportswriter for a daily newspaper in Alabama and got to cover sports and get paid for it! It was great until I got married and then it wasn't too much fun being away from my wife every...
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