I know people don't want to hear sob stories about how close some teams are to making the playoffs or about the razor thin margin for error in the NFL. However, watching the playoffs this year and looking at how well Miami played some of these teams (Seattle, New England at home and others) and watching how some of these playoff games come down to 1-2 plays you have to feel Miami is close.

Even in games like the San Fransisco game we were competitive and in the game until the final score by the 49ers. I understand we have weaknesses on our roster and I am not for overpaying players that are mediocre (honestly though, can you be mediocre if you are in the freaking NFL?!), but I do feel our team was extremely close to being a playoff team.

The problem with being a playoff team though is that there is a huge difference in being a wild card team (Colt or Bengals) and a championship contender. New England right now has the look of a dominate force and I am not so sure our best bet right now as a franchise is to just be patient and wait for Brady to become older. I know we have $50 million to spend and we have 5 picks in the top 100 and (I feel) we have an answer at QB, but even if Ireland was the GM of the century, it would be too much to ask us to catch New England in the next couple of years.

I am as big a Dolphin fan as anyone on this site. Watching New England reminds me of all those years in the Marino era where Buffalo kept putting us out in the playoffs (my worst Dolphin memories were watching us lose 44-34 in Buffalo and then again in the AFC championship at home). I am not predicting doom for this current Dolphin team. I honestly think we are a playoff team with the right moves next year and for years to come, but I think we are looking at 3-4 years until we are competing for a superbowl birth (right around the time Brady retires).

Hope I'm wrong...