Miami Dolphins Offseason: How Many More Mistakes Can a Franchise Withstand?

If you don't already consider the Miami Dolphins to be part of the bottom-feeders amongst the NFL franchises, then it's only a matter of time until you do.

With only two postseason appearances in the last decade and the last playoff win coming in 2000, the Dolphins have become THAT team that opposing players look on their schedule and mark off as a definite win.

Headed into the offseason following a disappointing 2010 campaign on the field, the Dolphins looked to gear their franchise in the right direction.

Only then, Stephen Ross dropped the ball by attempting to woo Jim Harbaugh to become the Miami head coach, while still having Tony Sparano employed and under contract.

Nevertheless Harbaugh passes up on playing the Jets and Patriots twice a year choosing instead to face the Rams and Cardinals in their place. Miami's next move? Land a big name offensive coordinator who will take Miami from its 30th ranked scoring offense, and make it into a dynamic and exciting show that will entice Dolphins season ticket holders to renew.

The big name coach that Miami landed? Brian Daboll.

One of two offensive coordinators in 2010 that led his team to score fewer points than Dan Henning's crew.

OK, so maybe with new players and better talent than in Cleveland, Daboll can succeed with the right assistant coaches in place, right?

Subsequently, Miami proceeded to announced Karl Dorrell as the quarterbacks coach, Steve Bush as the wide receivers coach, Ike Hilliard as an assistant wide receivers coach, Dan Campbell as the tight ends coach and Jeff Nixon as the running backs coach.

None of the five coaches mentioned above has had any experience at their current position.

Karl Dorrell has never coached quarterbacks before. Bush has never held an assistants position in the NFL before. Hilliard has never coached in the NFL before. Campbell has never been a position coach and Nixon has never coached running backs before.

After all the positions were filled comes the news that the Tennessee Titans and head coach Jeff Fisher have parted ways and also that the Ravens will cut ties with their quarterbacks coach, Jim Zorn.

Now comes word that the Miami Dolphins are indeed looking at drafting a quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft. Could Jeff Ireland finally help Miami end its 11-year postseason victory drought?

Oh wait, that quarterback looks like it will more than likely be a late round project such as FSU's Christian Ponder, Nevada's Colin Kaepernick or TCU's Andy Dalton.

The last time Miami drafted a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft was 1983 when they choose Dan Marino with the 27th pick in the draft, and I think we can all agree when I say that turned out well for the franchise.

Some of the head scratching decisions made by the Miami Dolphins and their front office continue to leave fans wondering how much longer they may have to suffer with this team. Having Bill Belichick and Rex Ryan continue to stockpile their teams with talent doesn't help Miami Dolphins fans see the light at the end of the tunnel, either.

It can be said that the looming free agency period and draft are immensely vital steps that need to be handled with extreme accuracy in landing players and talent that can lift the Dolphins out of the current regular season slump they find themselves in.

If Stephen Ross, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano fail to start filling in the holes on the roster it could be another three to four years of mediocrity for the franchise that was once among the NFL's elite.

Feel free to comment and discuss below. Follow Zack Duarte on twitter @ZackDuarte