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.

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