Some of you like the move. Others want to picket outside of the team's facilities to show their angst.
As Hard Knocks highlighted, Vontae has continued to struggle with the day-in and day-out, typical duties of an NFL player. He has shown no morsel of growing maturity since he has been drafted, and despite his athletic gifts, he has done nothing for himself to cement himself into any kind of starting role - whether that be in Miami or anywhere else. Call it whatever you want - laziness, failing to live up to potential, having his head up his ass... Vontae was not benefiting himself or other players around him.
The situation was actually worse than I thought with Vontae. Here's a guy that gave the perception that he wanted things handed to him without working hard or putting in 100% effort. Last season, when Smith and Davis pledged to be the best cornerback duo in the NFL...that promise failed not because of any lack of talent, but because of a lack of work ethic. It's been a long time since we had a coach that preached accountability and actually followed through with action when a player didn't buy in or live up to the expectations of the team and organization. Actually, I can't remember at any point in my lifetime where a head coach demanded more from players instead of settling for less.
I have more and more respect for Philbin every day. He continually tries to better this organization and even though in his short time here it seems like we have gotten worse, we are embarking on a change of culture in Miami Dolphins football. We have a receiver in Brandon Marshall who throws teammates under the bus, causes a raucous in the lockerroom and has many off-field issues. We trade him. We have another receiver in Chad Johnson who has three strikes before his fate is sealed. He messes up not one, not two, but three times in a short period of time. We release him. We have a corner in Vontae Davis who is letting his teammates down, failing to show them that he cares enough to get his act straight. We trade him.
I will say that the Marshall trade wasn't as fair to us as it was for Chicago, but we still got some value for a guy that the organization obviously wanted nowhere near this team.
Tell me honestly that if you were another team, and your team gave up a second-round pick for Vontae, that you would be happy. I know I wouldn't. Vontae turned into a project player for us. He is a good player. That has shown up on the field. But how in the hell are you going to be an NFL player, and the supposed best player at your position on the team, and show up to camp out of shape while looking completely lost on the field? I'm honestly surprised we got such good value from Vontae. If the Colts can help him get his head out of his ass, they got a good player. If not, and the inconsistencies continue to show throughout his career as a Colts player, then we got the better end of the trade.
Even if he goes on to have a good career, the value we got for him (likely a pick in the 30's) was good for a player in his situation.
The only qualm I have with this trade doesn't actually involve the trade itself. I wish Vontae would have figured it out while he was here. He was one of my favorite up and coming players and I thought this was going to be the year he finally put it together. His lack of maturity, motivation and work ethic sealed his fate here. That isn't the kind of player you want around other players. We need players that are going to set good examples for their teammates, not dog it and half-ass it down the field.
As Hard Knocks highlighted, Vontae has continued to struggle with the day-in and day-out, typical duties of an NFL player. He has shown no morsel of growing maturity since he has been drafted, and despite his athletic gifts, he has done nothing for himself to cement himself into any kind of starting role - whether that be in Miami or anywhere else. Call it whatever you want - laziness, failing to live up to potential, having his head up his ass... Vontae was not benefiting himself or other players around him.
The situation was actually worse than I thought with Vontae. Here's a guy that gave the perception that he wanted things handed to him without working hard or putting in 100% effort. Last season, when Smith and Davis pledged to be the best cornerback duo in the NFL...that promise failed not because of any lack of talent, but because of a lack of work ethic. It's been a long time since we had a coach that preached accountability and actually followed through with action when a player didn't buy in or live up to the expectations of the team and organization. Actually, I can't remember at any point in my lifetime where a head coach demanded more from players instead of settling for less.
I have more and more respect for Philbin every day. He continually tries to better this organization and even though in his short time here it seems like we have gotten worse, we are embarking on a change of culture in Miami Dolphins football. We have a receiver in Brandon Marshall who throws teammates under the bus, causes a raucous in the lockerroom and has many off-field issues. We trade him. We have another receiver in Chad Johnson who has three strikes before his fate is sealed. He messes up not one, not two, but three times in a short period of time. We release him. We have a corner in Vontae Davis who is letting his teammates down, failing to show them that he cares enough to get his act straight. We trade him.
I will say that the Marshall trade wasn't as fair to us as it was for Chicago, but we still got some value for a guy that the organization obviously wanted nowhere near this team.
Tell me honestly that if you were another team, and your team gave up a second-round pick for Vontae, that you would be happy. I know I wouldn't. Vontae turned into a project player for us. He is a good player. That has shown up on the field. But how in the hell are you going to be an NFL player, and the supposed best player at your position on the team, and show up to camp out of shape while looking completely lost on the field? I'm honestly surprised we got such good value from Vontae. If the Colts can help him get his head out of his ass, they got a good player. If not, and the inconsistencies continue to show throughout his career as a Colts player, then we got the better end of the trade.
Even if he goes on to have a good career, the value we got for him (likely a pick in the 30's) was good for a player in his situation.
The only qualm I have with this trade doesn't actually involve the trade itself. I wish Vontae would have figured it out while he was here. He was one of my favorite up and coming players and I thought this was going to be the year he finally put it together. His lack of maturity, motivation and work ethic sealed his fate here. That isn't the kind of player you want around other players. We need players that are going to set good examples for their teammates, not dog it and half-ass it down the field.
