Vernon Davis' first Pro Bowl was last season, in 2010 he had a breakout season and tied the all-time record for touchdown receptions by a tight end in a single season. This year, he's slowed down a little bit with poor quarterback play and even worse coaching, but he's still a snub.
Jason Witten is the NFC starter, and that's more than acceptable. He's got 100 more yards than Davis, and two more touchdown receptions. The problem lays with his backup, Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons. Don't get me wrong, Gonzalez is probably the best tight end to ever play the game, his hands are top-notch and he's consistently been the security blanket for any quarterback throwing to him. But he was not the better tight end this season.
Vernon Davis has 53 receptions for 818 yards and six touchdowns, while Gonzalez has 64 receptions for only 603 yards and five touchdowns. The yardage is big enough, and the extra touchdown helps, but the more important factor is Davis' big play ability. He had an average of 15.4 yards per reception compared to Tony's 9.4. Still a respectable number, but five yards is a huge difference in the NFL. Vernon's longest reception was 66 yards, while Tony's was only 34.
No disrespect to Tony Gonzalez, but Vernon Davis deserves that backup spot and Tony G. should be the first alternate. Also keep in mind San Francisco's run-oriented offense and the fact that Davis is probably the team's best blocker and one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, and you have an invaluable asset to any team. Vernon got snubbed.