Vontae Davis Trade Details
The Miami Dolphins traded Vontae Davis to the Indianapolis Colts on the first day of the 2012 NFL Draft, April 26, 2012. Miami sent the 13th overall pick in the first round and a conditional fourth-round selection to Indianapolis in exchange for Davis, who was the 25th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. The trade reunited Davis with Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, who had previously worked with him in Miami. The conditional fourth-round pick became a confirmed pick after Davis met playing time thresholds during the 2012 season. The deal is documented in NFL transaction records and reported by ESPN and NFL.com at the time. ESPN reported the trade details.
In the trade, the Dolphins received a first-round pick used on linebacker Jarvis Jones and a fourth-round pick that became cornerback Jamar Taylor. The Colts received a cornerback who had started 32 games over two seasons in Miami and was coming off a Pro Bowl year in 2011. The conditional pick became a full fourth-rounder because Davis played in at least 70 percent of the defensive snaps during the 2012 regular season. The draft capital Miami acquired helped the team select multiple contributors in the 2012 draft class. NFL trade rules required the conditional pick language to be resolved based on objective playing-time benchmarks. NFL.com covered the trade announcement.
Vontae Davis Career Before and After the Trade
Before the trade, Davis played three seasons for the Miami Dolphins from 2009 to 2011 after being selected 25th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He recorded 131 career tackles, 12 interceptions, and 4 defensive touchdowns during his Dolphins tenure, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 2011. After joining the Colts, Davis started 13 games in 2012 and recorded 2 interceptions in 15 appearances. He continued as a starting cornerback for Indianapolis through the 2013 season, appearing in 27 games over two seasons with the team. Davis announced his retirement during halftime of a 2018 game while with the Buffalo Bills, ending a 10-year NFL career. His career stats are tracked on official NFL player pages and sports reference sites. Forbes reported his retirement.
After leaving the Colts, Davis signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2014 and later joined the Buffalo Bills in 2017. He played his final NFL season with Buffalo in 2018 before walking off the field during halftime of a Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Bills released him the following day, and he did not sign with another team. His career totals include 38 interceptions, 633 interception return yards, and 6 defensive touchdowns across 152 NFL games. Davis was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2011 and earned first-team All-Pro honors that same year. His career trajectory is widely covered in NFL historical databases and player profiles. Pro Football Reference tracks his full stats.