I spoke with Vernon Davis after this morning practice. We spoke mainly about what he has done to become a better pass catcher. Here’s our Q&A:

Cohn: Re one-hand catching drill I watched him do on Saturday:

Davis: I do it because it boosts my confidence. Any time you catch with one hand it makes two hands that much easier. Mike Martz taught me that drill when he was here. Every chance I get I catch with one hand.

Cohn: Can you do that with your left hand?

Davis: I can do it with my left and right. I’m not necessarily saying I’m going to go into a game expecting to catch balls with one hand. I’m going to catch them with two, but that gives me that confidence and also if I need to catch it with one I can react to it and feel comfortable knowing I can adjust.

Cohn: Re: Jugs Machine drill he did just before the end of practice this morning.

Davis: The more you do something the better you get with it. It’s just like anything. It’s your profession. The more you do this the better you get. The more balls I catch the easier it is for me in a game. I just want to have the feel of the ball in my hands, get used to it liked it’s part of me. Just stay friendly with it. I can do this all day, catch balls all day. As long as I go to that JUGS Machine and catch 100 a day I’m good. I also get staff to throw me the ball from different angles.

Cohn: Early in your career there was a perception you were a great athlete but maybe your hands weren’t as good as they needed to be. What have you done to wipe that perception away?

Davis: Just working hard, ignoring what people have to say to me, just take constructive criticism and move on with it – just keep getting better.

Cohn: In terms of your ability to catch, have you gotten better?

Davis: Oh, yeah.

Cohn: Let me phrase it a more interesting way. You say you want the ball to be your friend. Were there times when it didn’t feel like your friend?

Davis: When I was young I didn’t get along with the ball that well because I didn’t catch it as much as now. I was busy running routes and learning how to block but now that I know what I’m doing in that aspect I can come out and just befriend the ball.

Cohn: When you say “when I was young” does that mean at the start of your Niner career, or in college or high school?

Davis: College and the start of my Niner career. Both.

Cohn: Do you ever talk to the ball?

Davis: No. I never talk to the ball. If it’s in the air I just go get it. I always say that any time the ball’s in the air it’s mine.

Cohn: Do you like the feel of the ball in your hand?

Davis: Yes, I do.

Cohn: Does it have a certain feel to it?

Davis: Yes, it feels good, pleasant.

Cohn: In the offseason you and others worked out together in DC. Who?

Davis: Me, Josh Morgan, Thomas Clayton, Vontae Davis my little brother, Geoff Pope, Philadelphia Eagles. Moise Fokou Philadelphi Eagles.

Cohn: What exercises did you do?

Davis: We did all types of things, agility, speed work, skills, one on ones. Pass catching, to be friends with the ball. We used to have a high school quarterback come out (and throw to them.)

Cohn: You coined the phrase 1185 Chemistry. What does it mean?

Davis: Alex to Vernon Davis. Me and Alex are leaders. It’s a good thing to build chemistry with your quarterback and that’s all well and good. But other than just building a chemistry with your quarterback there’s a lot of other things in there. We’re the leaders. We’re in front. But there are other numbers between 11 and 85, 15 Crabtree, Josh Morgan (84), Tedd Ginn (19), 21 Frank Gore. All the playmakers, that’s what it is.

Cohn: I was told when the 49ers acquired Ginn, you tweeted him. What did you write?

Davis: I said ‘Ginn I’m happy to see you’ – because I heard people talking about him on Twitter – I said, ‘Ginn, don’t worry about it. Let’s get on the Jugs Machine and get better, baby. Let’s go.’

Cohn: What had you heard about Ginn?

Davis: That he can’t catch and all this.

Cohn: Things people had said about you.

Davis: Yes.

Cohn: How close or far are you from being the best tight end in football?

Davis: Just gotta reach out and go get it. It’s right there in front of me. Just got go out and grab it like a ball.