Washington Redskins reunite Alex Smith with Vernon Davis
By Ian Cummings
By coming to the Washington Redskins, Alex Smith isn’t heading into an entirely different situation. He has a familiar face to reconnect with.
Before newly-acquired Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith accumulated a record of 50-26 with the Kansas City Chiefs, he was the embattled starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers.
Smith was drafted by the 49ers first overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. His career would get off to a rather rocky start. He threw just one touchdown to 11 interceptions in his rookie season. The 49ers chose to stick with Smith for a while longer, and in the 2006 NFL Draft, they provided him with some new weaponry by drafting tight end Vernon Davis sixth overall.
The two would go on to form a productive partnership in the Bay Area. Over the span of their shared residence, the 49ers, under the oversight of head coach Jim Harbaugh, would build a record of 36-31-1. Following the 2011 season, in which the 49ers went 13-3, they met the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round. And at the end of a competitive contest, Alex Smith and Vernon Davis connected in one of the most memorable playoff endings in history.
The 49ers would lose in the next round to the New York Giants, but by then, a strong bond had formed between Smith and Davis. Their collaboration was not to last, however. Toward the end of the 2012 season, an injury forced Alex Smith off the field, and Colin Kaepernick shined in the veteran’s absence. By season’s end, Kaepernick was entrenched in the starting role, and in the offseason of 2013, Smith left to pursue other opportunities.
Since then, Smith and Davis have been apart. But soon, they will be reunited in Washington. One would hope that time has not weakened the connection.
Davis is the only member of the Washington Redskins to have worked with Smith. Colt McCoy was signed to the 49ers as a backup shortly after Smith left, but he was never on the team with the Washington Redskins’ new starter.
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Luckily for Smith, he doesn’t need too many connections to succeed with new scenery. In his first season with the Kansas City Chiefs, he set personal records in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and rushing yards. That’s not to say that Smith is guaranteed to succeed in D.C., but perhaps a new ride to work could bode well for him. A reservation in Jay Gruden’s offense won’t hurt, either.