Dolphins Players 'Shocked' By Vontae Davis Trade

Reports say players in the Dolphins' locker room expressed shock in the team trading Vontae Davis to the Colts on Sunday. Still, the players quoted by the Palm Beach Post were mindful that trading Davis was an executive decision, so they'll carry on as usual.

Six-year veteran Richard Marshall took Davis' right corner spot earlier in camp when it was decided that Davis was out of shape. Marshall will continue in that role, while backup Nolan Carroll is expected to step in for nickel packages.

"We feel guys have made some progress," Dolphins first-year head coach Philbin said. "Nolan Carroll has made some really good progress; Quinten Lawrence, we have to see how he plays. That was part of the decision."

Philbin went on to say there were never any clear issues or confrontations with Davis while they worked together.

Read more on the Dolphins at The Phinsider and SB Nation Tampa Bay.

Vontae Davis Trade: Does Joe Philbin Know What He's Doing?

Not all of the reaction to the Vontae Davis trade has been positive for Joe Philbin and the Miami Dolphins.

Dave Hyde of the Sun Sentinel poses a question in his latest column: "Does Joe Philbin know what he's doing?"

Does Joe Philbin know what he's doing?

Because this latest, boldest move of trading Davis two weeks before the season opener started with Philbin, not Jeff Ireland. It was the new coach demanding to dump the second-best player on last year's defense, not the old general manager who drafted Davis in the first place.

Don't be fooled by Philbin's self-deprecating approach and good-uncle demeanor. Look at his hard-boiled actions in these opening months. He's making Nick Saban and Bill Parcells look like pansies.

Hyde points out that Philbin also was behind the Brandon Marshall trade. Though Marshall was a headache, he was clearly Miami's top playmaker last year, and the Dolphins haven't acquired a legitimate replacement for Marshall yet.

Hyde does credit Philbin, too.

This isn't about value for Philbin, though. This is about a first-year coach doing what he believes. Give him courage-of-his-conviction points. But he'll be judged on wins and losses. Talent decides that. And talent keeps going out the door.

We'll see how it goes for Philbin in 2012, as he and Ryan Tannehill look to turn the Miami franchise around.

For the latest on the Dolphins, head over to The Phinsider and join the discussion.

Vontae Davis Trade: Jeff Ireland Trying To 'Establish A Strong Foundation'

Jeff Ireland and the Miami Dolphins brass didn't take the Vontae Davis trade lightly.

Ireland, according to Miami's official website, wrestled with the trade for awhile, but ultimately decided that the trade was for the best, as the Dolphins try to "establish a strong foundation."

"It's my job to try to establish a strong foundation of success and then build on that moving forward," said Ireland, who is in his fifth year in his current role with Miami. "We've said many times that we want to be a really good football team not only this year but in coming years. We feel like this helps achieve that objective. I believe we're in a stronger position today to reach our goal of building a football team that will continue to perform at a high level over a sustained period of time."

The strong play of Miami's other defensive backs, Sean Smith, Richard Marshall and Nolan Carroll, helped Ireland make the decision, as he deemed Davis expendable -- as long as it would help Miami's future.

The Dolphins received Indianapolis' second and sixth-round draft picks in exchange for Davis. Given that it's a rebuilding year for the Colts, the second-rounder Miami received could prove to be a valuable selection.

For more on the Dolphins, head over to The Phinsider and join the discussion.

Vontae Davis Ready For Fresh Start With Colts

Former Miami Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis is ready to put his time in Miami behind him. After being traded to the Indianapolis Colts for a second round pick in 2013, Davis is grateful for a new opportunity.

I feel like it's a different opportunity. What happened in Miami is in the past. Now I'm a Colt and my biggest thing is moving forward and trying to get better as a player

Davis arrived in Indianapolis on Sunday night and passed his physical. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano expects Davis to be ready to play in the Colts' opening game against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 9. The Colts are not sure at this point if Davis will be ready to play in the team's preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 30.

For more on the Vontae Davis trade be sure to check out The Phinsider. For more NFL news and notes head over to SB Nation's NFL page.

Vontae Davis Trade: Ireland Says DB's 'Still A Position Of Strength'

Four years after drafting Vontae Davis with the No. 25 overall pick, Miami Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland turned him into a second and sixth-round pick from the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

While giving up on a first-round pick so quickly doesn't speak well to Ireland's drafting ability, the GM is spinning it as dealing from a position of strength:

"I feel very good about Sean Smith, Richard Marshall, Nolan Carroll, the development of Jimmy Wilson, Chris Clemons and Reshad Jones," Ireland said. "I believe that's a pretty good nucleus of players."

Davis had clearly worn out his welcome after numerous run-ins with the coaching staff over his maturity and attitude. In 2012, he had 43 tackles, 4 INT's and 9 pass deflections while starting 12 games.

For more on the Vontae Davis trade be sure to check out The Phinsider. For more NFL news and notes head over to SB Nation's NFL page.

Vontae Davis Trade: Miami Dolphins Could Use Draft Picks For WR Trade

The Miami Dolphins don't plan on holding on to those early round draft picks they got from the Colts in a trade for Vontae Davis on Sunday. According to a report by Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, Jeff Ireland would like to trade those picks for a wide receiver and do it soon.

Wide receiver is a desperately needed skill position for the Dolphins, as this site has reported all of preseason. Davone Bess seems to be the only receiver the team can completely rely on, while the others are still battling for position on the depth chart. But this receiving group could use a lot of work.

That's what the organization was hoping Chad Johnson could do for them before that didn't even come close to working out. Stay tuned to see what the Dolphins do next with those picks.

For more on the Vontae Davis trade be sure to check out The Phinsider. For more NFL news and notes head over to SB Nation's NFL page.

Vontae Davis Trade Reaction: Dolphins Clearly In Rebuild Mode

The Dolphins trade of Vontae Davis to the Indianapolis Colts further signals that the team is clearly in rebuild mode, according to Dolphins' blog The Phinsider. Davis had fallen out of favor of late with the Dolphins coaching staff but he was talented. However, it appears that a change of scenery might have been in order for Davis to ever realize his potential.

Either way, the Dolphins have given up on Davis, and are ready to move on. The team is clearly in rebuild mode, with multiple second and third round picks for 2013 now. The team appears ready to build around rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, looking more toward the future than they are looking at today.

Davis came into training camp the last two seasons out of shape and lost his starting job early in camp this season to Richard Marshall.

For more on the Vontae Davis trade be sure to check out The Phinsider. For more NFL news and notes head over to SB Nation's NFL page.

Vontae Davis Traded To The Colts, According To Report

The Miami Dolphins have reportedly agreed to trade Vontae Davis to the Indianapolis Colts for a second-round pick.