With training camp looming, Miami Dolphins set out to back up aggressive offseason

First, you had the players they parted ways with:

Reggie Bush, Sean Smith, Jake Long, Anthony Fasano, Davone Bess, Karlos Dansby, and Kevin Burnett.

Then, you had the replacements:

Mike Wallace, Brandon Gibson, Dustin Keller, Tyson Clabo, Brent Grimes, Dannell Ellerbe, and Philip Wheeler.

And finally, you had the rooks:

Dion Jordan, Jamar Taylor, Will Davis, and Mike Gillislee, among others.

There you have it.  This is what all of the talk throughout the NFL community has been about since early March.  This is the vision Joe Philbin, Jeff Ireland, and Steven Ross began mapping out over a year ago, and have now laid down in front of us today.

Mix in Lamar Miller, Brian Hartline, Cameron Wake, Reshad Jones, and, of course, Ryan Tannehill, and you have your 2013 Miami Dolphins.  Or, what some NFL pundits are calling, "the team that will finally challenge the New England Patriots in the AFC East."

Yeah, lets talk about that last sentence for a minute.

Because it's an awful, AWFUL, bold statement to make.

Or is it?

Welcome to the next seven months for your Miami Dolphins.

Since 1999, Dan Marino's final NFL season, the expectations have never been THIS high.  Not in 2002, the year Ricky Williams was brought in, not in 2009, the year after their only division title this century, and not in 2010, the year Brandon Marshall was brought in to catch passes from "the next Dan Marino" himself, check down Chad Henne.

In-fact, I don't think I can remember a time when the Miami Dolphins had THIS much national attention.

And that's because I was only SIX years old the last time they got any!

My point?  Jeff Ireland has (finally) done his part.  He's brought in everybody Joe Philbin, Mike Sherman, Kevin Coyle, and Ryan Tannehill could have possibly asked for.

Oh, you want somebody to throw to other than Brian Hartline, Ryan?

Sure thing, man.  Here's Mike Wallace AND Brandon Gibson AND Dustin Keller.

Oh, you want to improve upon your FOURTH worst defense in takeaways and get faster and more aggressive, Kevin?

No problem, bro.  Here's Brent Grimes, Dannell Ellerbe, Phillip Wheeler, and Dion Jordan.

Okay, maybe thats not exactly how the conversations went down, but that's how an NFL front office works in my mind.

There is absolute no doubt that this team can compete for a playoff spot.  Heck, there's absolutely no excuse for them not to.  Those excuses are gone now.  They're in Detroit, Kansas City, Cleveland, and St. Louis.  If the Miami Dolphins don't walk the walk this season, then it's going to be a much different offseason in 2014.

Jeff Ireland will be gone.  Joe Philbin, and his coaching staff, will most likely be out the door as well.  Even Ryan Tannehill, the savior, the messiah, will be walking down a road walked down once before by good ol' Chad Henne.

Get it now?  The offseason, with all of its aggression, glamor, and excitement, is over.

The pressure now shifts from the front office, to the football field.

From Jeff Ireland, to Joe Philbin.

The 2013 NFL season commences tomorrow at 8 am in Davie, FL.

And the new look Miami Dolphins will be ready to go.

For better.

Or for worse.