LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 04: Fred Davis #83 of the Washington Redskins watches a play during a game against the New York Jets at FedExField on December 4, 2011 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) Fred Davis (credit: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

LANHAM, Md. (CBSDC) — Fred Davis is a fan of Sanford and Son. He’s also a fan of playing football. And while he’s had a chance to spend some quality time in front of the television with Redd Foxx, he hasn’t been on the field since suffering a torn Achilles’ tendon late last October.

Now a free agent, Davis isn’t exactly setting the market on fire.

It’s puzzling to a certain extent because he’s hardly one of the NFL’s best kept secrets. When healthy (and not suspended), the USC-product has routinely been among the top-performing tight ends in the league.

So, it must be the serious injury, drug-related suspension, or the wacky court case involving an alleged pimpette and spilled juice that are hindering his ability to sign the first big free agent deal of his career. Of course there’s also the salary cap penalty snarling the Redskins offseason (see: Lorenzo Alexander).

Either way, it’s a plain lack of respect in Davis’ eyes.

“I really feel like since I’ve been in the league I haven’t been recognized to the likening that I would like to be,” Davis told NFL AM recently.

In fact, he says the only tight end that really gets any respect is Tony Gonzalez.

But Davis isn’t worried about it. He’s confident that his work ethic and stats speaks for themselves. He’s planning to make the naysayers and teams that have passed on him pay — Redd Foxx style.

The Redskins are included among that group.

“A lot of people are looking at the [Achilles] injury and that stuff,” he said, per The Washington Post. “I definitely feel like whatever team signed any tight ends right now, I’m gonna make them regret anything that they do – AND the Redskins, too, as well – because I know I’m gonna go out here and I’m gonna do what I have to do. And I’ll bet you next year’s gonna be a good year for me. This is The One right here. This is The Big One. You ever watch Fred Sanford? He had The Big One. That’s what this year is for me. Elizabeth, I’m coming!”

Davis’ first choice is to return to the Redskins, but the tight end would be okay with moving on after five season in Washington.

“At the end of the day, I’ll play wherever. It’s about football for me,” he says. “I would like to stay here, but if I can’t, then I’m fine with that as well.”

Perhaps that somewhere is Buffalo.

You can check out video of Davis’ appearance on NFL.com or you could look at pictures of Redskins cheerleaders.

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