What Vontae Davis Trade Means for Colts', Dolphins' Futures

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeted of "serious trade winds," and he followed through by trading for Miami Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis in exchange for a second-round pick and "a conditional, undisclosed late-round pick in the 2013 draft," via the Associated Press (per ESPN).

The somewhat surprising move was made official on Sunday. So, what does it mean for each team?

The Colts are clearly in rebuilding mode, but with Andrew Luck under center, there's no telling how quickly they can return to AFC prominence or how competitive they can be in 2012. 

Miami is in the midst of its own version of a rebuilding process, and it, too, is starting a rookie quarterback this season in Ryan Tannehill. 

Let's break down the specific impacts this trade will have on both squads this year and in the foreseeable future. 

Indianapolis Colts 

The acquisition of Davis is a huge upgrade for a weak Colts secondary that doesn't feature a slew of talented household names. 

In 2011, opposing quarterbacks averaged a 103.9 QB rating against Indianapolis, and it allowed the fourth-most points per drive. 

Davis isn't an elite cornerback, but his experience, physicality and pure man-to-man coverage abilities will allow guys like Cassius Vaughn and Justin King to simply be depth players, not starters. 

Indianapolis will face the likes of Brandon Marshall, Greg Jennings, Stevie Johnson, Calvin Johnson and Andre Johnson in 2012, so the presence of the veteran Davis will undoubtedly go a long way in terms of dealing with those wideouts and other of the league's more productive pass-catchers this season. 

Because the 6'0'', 203-pound Davis is only 24 years old, the Colts have their No. 1 corner in which to build their secondary around in the coming years.

On the surface, losing a second-round pick may seem counterproductive for a team in rebuilding mode. But if the Colts felt that they wouldn't have been able to get as skilled of a corner in Round 2 of the 2013 draft (they probably couldn't), trading for Davis was the right decision. 

With Kendall Wright, Kenny Britt, Justin Blackmon and Andre Johnson in the division, Indianapolis needed to enhance its secondary. The Colts did so with Vontae Davis. 

Miami Dolphins

The common initial thought regarding the trade of Davis was that the Dolphins had their minds more focused on 2013 and beyond than their upcoming campaign. While the long-term goals may weigh more heavily in Miami, trading Davis doesn't indicate that the Dolphins are ready to scrap the 2012 season before it even begins.

They did acquire former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Richard Marshall this offseason—an underrated player who was the No. 14 cornerback in the "B/R 1000" rankings completed by Bleacher Report's Matt Miller. 

He and Sean Smith aren't lockdown defenders, but they have the pure athletic ability to formulate a respectable cornerback duo on the edges of Miami's defense. Nolan Carroll should provide adequate depth on passing downs as well. 

Looking forward, the extra second-rounder will be vital for the Dolphins as they attempt to construct a viable roster around Ryan Tannehill. They'll have more ammunition if they want to trade up to select a prospect they really like in Round 1, or they can add another playmaker in Round 2 in the 2013 draft. 

The move may have been surprising to most of us when the news surfaced, but upon further examination, the trade makes sense from a personnel standpoint and has a great chance to work out for both sides. 

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