Miami Dolphins 2012: Are the 'Phins Far off from Being Competitive in AFC East?

For Miami Dolphins fans, it's fun to imagine your team toppling the mighty New England Patriots and beating up on the rival New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. But for what's been a little more than a decade, that feeling has mostly been just offseason optimism rather than football season reality.

But how close are the Dolphins to realistically contending for the AFC East crown on a regular basis?

Standing in their way is Tom Brady and a New England team that will be as potent as ever on offense and has a re-stocked defense. Barring major injuries, there is little reason to think that any other AFC East squad can challenge the team that has taken eight of the last nine division titles for at least a couple more years.

New York and Buffalo are going two different directions. Rex Ryan's Jets went from playoff dark horse to back page circus in just one season, and the Bills are generating excitement after a fast start in 2011 and a solid offseason. Buffalo, with their revamped defense and improving offense, has the best shot to immediately test the Patriots.

Where does Miami find itself in this mix?

The truth is, the Dolphins are rebuilding. It's not quite blow-up-the-farm rebuilding, but the organization is looking for sustained improvement through the draft and player development. Years of poor quarterback play and losing records have soured a fanbase to the once-proud franchise and owner Stephen Ross is motivated to bring the playoffs back to South Beach.

There are major holes on both sides of the ball. Quarterback, offensive line, receiver, and safety are spots that will be question marks going into camp, and it's yet to be seen if the Dolphins have the personnel to adequately fill these spots.

Miami drafted Ryan Tannehill in the first round of April's draft to be the quarterback of the future. Though head coach Joe Philbin has said that there will be an open competition in camp, Tannehill isn't likely ready to start right away. Miami would be best served allowing the former Texas A&M Aggie to develop slowly and learn the ropes from a veteran before jumping into a starting job.

That all being said, the Dolphins are not without some bright spots. The team that finished last season out winning six of nine with Matt Moore under center returns a defense that finished sixth in points allowed and a special teams unit that is one of the best in the league.

Reggie Bush is coming off his best season as a pro and second-year back Daniel Thomas and rookie Lamar Miller will supplement what should be an effective running game.

Though Tannehill may not be ready, the Dolphins signed seasoned veteran David Garrard and still have Moore to compete for the starting quarterback spot for Week 1. Neither are long term solutions at this point in their careers but both are viable options to help the Dolphins be competitive in 2012.

Miami is geared to slowly build into a long term contender, and fans should hope for that and be patient. The landscape of the division and the current roster will preclude the team from making a strong push in the AFC East this year and probably next as well.

Dolphins fans hoping for their team to be an immediate AFC East powerhouse will be disappointed again this year, but they shouldn't mail in the season quite yet. The Patriots will continue their regular season dominance, but a relatively weakened AFC should leave the door open for a surprise or two in the playoff race.

The Dolphins showed at the end of last season that they have the talent to hang with just about any NFL team. If Miami gets a little consistency at quarterback and the defense picks up where they left off last year, they could make a push for a wild card spot in 2012.