The Dolphins are now a quarter of the way through their season - meaning it's time to do a review.  We looked at the offense yesterday, so now it's time to turn our attention to the defense - a unit that is ranked 7th in the NFL in total defense.  What a difference a year makes!

DEFENSIVE LINE
This unit has probably been the most changed - and most improved - from last season.  I think you need to credit the front office for this.  They saw what we all saw - a terrible run-stopping team in 2007 - and made the necessary changes.  And now this unit is, without question, one of the greatest strengths on the team.  They use a terrific rotation - thanks to the depth at the position - to keep their guys fresh.  In fact, it's rare if a single defensive lineman ever plays over 40 snaps in a game.

The addition of guys like Jason Ferguson and Randy Starks along with the drafting of rookies Phillip Merling and Kendall Langford have made this defense line one of the best in the entire NFL.  In '07, the Dolphins surrendered 153 yards per game on the ground - by far the worst in the league - and 4.5 yards per carry.  But '08 has been different, allowing just 82.8 yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry on the ground.

And if you go one step further, Football Outsiders - using their complex formula - ranks Miami's defensive line 9th in the league in "adjusted line yards" - the key stat in their rankings.  This unit also ranks 5th in the league in "stuffed percentage" - at 30%.  What that means, essentially, is that on 30% of opposing runs, the opposition runs for either 0 yards or negative yards on 1st down as well as one-fourth or less of the yards needed for a 1st down on second through fourth downs.  Perhaps a confusing, but nonetheless critical statistic.

Grade: A-

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This week, to prepare of Sunday's game between our Miami Dolphins and the Arizona Cardinals, we're going to do something a little bit different, hopefully as a way to spark some discussion and debate.

We're going to take a look at how the Dolphins and Cardinals match up against one another.  And to do so, "cgolden" of Revenge of the Birds, SBN's Cardinals' blog, will help us out.  Below are our breakdowns of the first 4 key match-ups, with the 2nd half of this feature to be posted at the same time tomorrow.

MATCH-UP #1:  CARDINALS RECEIVERS VS. DOLPHINS SECONDARY

CG: Advantage: Cardinals - I'll always give the Cardinals wideouts the advantage over any opposing teams secondary and this week should be no different. The Dolphins secondary should have trouble containing Fitz, Boldin and Breaston most of the day. Normally the Pro Bowl duo of Fitz and Q get most of the attention but third WR, Steve Breaston is coming into his own and could be the wild card that makes this the best receiving corps in the league. The quartet of Will Allen, Andre Goodman, Nathan Jones and Michael Lehan will need help from the safeties to keep the Cardinals recievers in front of them. The Phins secondary didn't allow Farve too much last week but they did give up a couple of big plays and they'll have to perform better against the Cardinals. The gameplan for the Cardinal offense seemed to be based around establishing the running game last week. I wouldn't be surprised though for Whisenhunt and offensive coordinator Todd Haley to open things up a bit in the home opener.

MATTY I: Advantage: Cardinals - Not many teams, if any at all, can really match up with the Cardinals’ group of receivers. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are as talented as they come and really provide matchup nightmares for Miami’s secondary because of their combination of size, speed, and skill. And to be honest, while Boldin may not have that great top-end speed, he’s actually the one I’m more worried about. And we can’t forget about Steve Breaston, who is entering his 2nd season and is yet another talented receiver. And while Will Allen is a very good player, it’s going to take some real creativity to get guys like Andre Goodman, Nathan Jones, and Michael Lehan (if he plays) to slow down these receivers. Safety help will be needed often, but we saw last week that even safety help is sometimes not enough.

MATCH-UP #2:  CARDINALS OFFENSIVE LINE VS. DOLPHINS PASS RUSH

CG: Advantage: Dolphins - The Dolphin pass rush was able to put some pressure on Farve and had it not been for a 'chuck and duck' touchdown pass, Miami might have walked out of the opener with a win. The Phins could have the same kind success this week, especially if the Warner is content with just pulling the ball down and taking a sack like he was against the Niners. The coaching staff has been drilling him about taking care of the football and he admitted that he'd play cautiously and that at times he held onto the ball too long. The Cardinals' offensive line isn't great at pass protection, especially RG Deuce Lutui but as a whole, they're an above average group. I'm very interested to see how Levi Brown and Lutui fair against Kendell Langford, who looked really impressive against the Jets. The Phins really need to put some pressure on Warner though because if he has time, he should be able to pick the Phins secondary apart.

MATTY I: Advantage: Dolphins - I was pleasantly surprised with the ability of the Dolphins to get pressure on Brett Favre last week.  They were able to get to Favre 3 times against an offensive line that is better than Arizona's and against a QB who can move better than Kurt Warner.  And the Cards, last week, did surrender 3 sacks to the 49ers pass rush.  I think that the way Paul Pasqualoni uses his front 7 could certainly give Cardinal tackles Mike Gandy and Levi Brown fits.  And let's be honest, Miami's pass rush will be the key to their defense this week.  If Warner is allowed to sit in the pocket and scan the field, he'll find plenty of open receivers and create plenty of big plays.  So, really, for the Dolphins to stay in this game, they must get pressure on Warner early and often.

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Alright.  We're almost there.  Kick-off is just around the corner now. 

So now I put on my "homer" hat.  Let me preface this post by putting out this disclaimer: the idea of this post is for me to act like a bias Dolphins fan.  Below are some reasons I would tell a Jets' fan as to why the Dolphins are going to win this game.  Think of it as a debate in a local sports bar with an opposing fan.  He'd be giving us reasons why the Jets will win.  And I, of course, would be telling them the following:

The Dolphins will stop the run
One of the things that just amazes me is when I watch TV or read articles online about what fantasy football players to start and I see Thomas Jones listed as a "must play" guy.  Why?  They point out that the Dolphins' defense was dead last in the NFL against the rush in 2007.  So my question to them is if they have even paid any attention to Miami during camp or the preseason.  If they have, then they'd know things have begun to change.

First off, in two games against the Dolphins last year, Jones ran for 185 yards on 49 carries.  That's a 3.78 yards-per-carry average.  Considering the Dolphins were as bad against the run as they were last year, a 3.7 ypc average is as unimpressive as it gets.

Secondly, it's clear that the Dolphins' run defense is much improved in 2008.  The acquisitions of Jason Ferguson and Akin Ayodele along with the drafting of Phillip Merling and Kendall Langford have clearly made this defense much better.  Need proof?  Consider that the Dolphins held Deuce McAllister, Larry Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Fred Taylor to a combined 85 yards rushing on 33 carries (2.58 ypc) during the preseason.  Sure, it's preseason, but even still, that's damn impressive. 

So if Thomas Jones could only pick up 3.7 yards per carry against the '07 defense, how will he find any room on the ground against the '08 version?  He won't.  And Brett Favre will be foreced to make plays through the air - hopefully leading to some turnovers.

Miami has a "game-planning" edge
Allow me to explain what I mean here by a "game-planning" edge.  First of all, the Dolphins now have Chad Pennington and will be able to pick his brain about what the Jets are doing on both sides of the ball.  Pennington obviously knows what the Jets want to do defensively and that should help him - especially in reading the defense at the line of scrimmage.  He also surely can tell Paul Pasqualoni and company some of what the Jets plan on doing offensively, though I'm sure a little has changed since they acquired that drama queen at quarterback.

On the flip side, the Jets don't have much film to gameplan off of.  This is a first time head coach running the show.  And while the Jets coaching staff could look at what Dan Henning has run in the past at Carolina and what Pasqualoni and Todd Bowles did defensively in Dallas, that's only going to provide a basic look at their offensive and defensive philosophies respectively.  But the Jets will not have any real idea on how this staff will use the personnel in Miami.  And Tony Sparano and company know this and will surely look for ways to take advantage of this.

Desperation
This next thing some people might disagree with, but I firmly believe that I've never spoken truer words: the Miami Dolphins are the most desperate week one team ever.  Think about it.  There isn't a team in the league that needs a win as badly as the Dolphins do to start the season.

Remember, this team is coming off of a historically bad season last year in which - without a little luck - they would have lost every single game.  While half of the players who make up the team in 2008 weren't part of last year's disaster, this is still a franchise and a fan base that needs to win.  They need to put last year behind them and a victory in week one is how you do that. 

Otherwise, if the Dolphins lose this game, you can't help but begin to think back to last season.  Then the Dolphins travel to Arizona in week 2.  Sure, they don't look all that great on paper, but they have a terrific offense and anytime you fly across the country to play on the road, it's difficult.  Following that game, the Dolphins have to face New England for the first time in '08.  So a loss in week one could potentially spark an 0-3 start heading into that bye week.  And should that happen, you can't help but begin to have thoughts of "1-15" creep back into your minds.  And these players are human, too, and (despite the coaching change and the change in culture) it'll be hard for the players who were here last season to not begin to think about what a nightmare last season was and wonder if it could happen again.

Desperation is an amazing motivator.  It will motivate the fans to be loud.  It will motivate the players to find a way to win.  And that they will.  Some how, some way, the Dolphins will win this game.

At his press conference today, Tony Sparano really made some things clear in terms of the position battles.

And one thing that might come as a surprise is that this team is going to very much trust their rookies.

Rookie guard Donald Thomas is likely to start at right guard, with Sparano declaring it "Donald's job to lose."  He also says of Thomas:

"Donald’s a young player that’s shown great progress. I like what he does in there and he’s continuing to get better, and as long as that happens I think he’s going to stay there."

Just think of the starting OL that this team could have for the next 8 to 10 years!  Jake Long, Justin Smiley, Samson Satele, Donald Thomas, and Vernon Carey.  Now that's an elite offensive line in a matter of a year or two.

Jumping to the other side of the ball, Kendall Langford being listed as the starting left defensive end on the latest depth chart was no accident.  Sparano said that he could see Langford "there for a long time."  He's likely going to start at that LDE spot, as he has in each preseason game as well.  Sparano says of Langford:

"We watched him and this guy has done a heck of a job. I was impressed with what he did early in the game last week with his hands, had a couple of pressures early on in the game."

Meanwhile, one battle that doesn't appear to be as clear-cut as some like to think is the QB position.  Everyone has assumed that Chad Pennington will be the starting quarterback come September.  And that could still very well be the case.  But Sparano hasn't ruled out Chad Henne as the starter.  Sparano says of Henne:

This guy has shown me great poise, he really has. He's been in some tough situations and handled it well.  He's probably made the most heads-up plays at the position. Now that being said, he's played the most."

And when asked about if he would have any issues with starting a rookie at QB, Sparano simply said, "If he's the best guy, I play him."

That '08 draft class is looking better and better every day, isn't it?

Don't forget to get involved with our first round of community projections.  We've begun with Channing Crowder and Joey Porter.

The Dolphins, today, released their latest version of the depth chart.  And this time, we might actually be able to read into this version.  Now, to see the entire thing, head over here.

As far as the QBs go, they are still listed in order of seniority.  But other notable changes have been made.

First off, Ricky Williams is now listed as the team's starting running back, with Ronnie Brown now listed as 2nd string.  It's likely that this really doesn't matter, as one is really "1a" and the other is "1b."  But it's certainly worth noting.  Perhaps the reason for the change is simply Ronnie's thumb injury combined with his comeback from the knee injury.  Either way, I'm not really too worried about who starts and who comes off the bench once the season begins.  Both will get plenty of carries and both will be key factors to the success of the team.

Perhaps the biggest change on the depth chart now is that Matt Roth has been officially listed at strong side linebacker, with Joey Porter moving over to the weak side - Jason Taylor's old position - and Kendall Langford stepping in to replace Roth as the starter at left defensive end.  This also means that Charlie Anderson was bumped back to 2nd team and Quentin Moses has been moved to 3rd team.

I'll admit that after being a little worried about the Roth experiment, I'm much more comfortable with him now at OLB than I was this time last week.  And I really like the move of Porter over to the weak side, the primary pass-rushing LB spot.  But you do have to wonder if this change is only until Charlie Anderson is healthy again.  Will Porter move back to the strong side once Anderson can play?  Also worth wondering is if Roth can handle the coverage aspect as strong side linebacker.  He'll be fine as a run-stopper.  But playing the strong side means he's going to be responsible often for covering either a tight end of a back.  Perhaps the plan is for Roth to work at SLB only on 1st down (and possibly 2nd depending on the situation).  There's no way Roth will stay on the field at LB in clear passing situations.

Perhaps the bigger reason to be excited about this latest depth chart, though, is because of the number of rookies who are now listed as starters.  I mentioned above that Kendall Langford, a 3rd round pick, is now listed as the starting left DE.  Donald Thomas, a 6th round pick, is the starter at RG.  And we all know Jake Long will be starting at LT.  When you also consider that Phillip Merling will be heavily involved in the DL rotation and Chad Henne could very well be our backup QB (and QB of the future), you have to already consider this draft a mild success...with the potential for it to be a truly great draft.

OTHER NOTES

-Barry Jackson reports that the Dolphins' front office do like both Vernon Carey and Channing Crowder (both free agents following the season).  However they have decided to hold off on contract extensions for both as of right now.  In my opinion, though, they should work out a deal with Carey before the season ends.  Otherwise, they run the risk of Carey's agent deciding to hold off to see if Vernon can get LT money on the open market - which is a risky proposition for the Dolphins.

-Yes, I know I have to mention what Chris Mortensen said tonight about Ronnie Brown.  But the idea that the Dolphins would look to trade Ronnie is completely ridiculous and I will not speak of it after this.  Why would the Dolphins do that?  Do they really feel like Ricky Williams, who is a bit "flaky" to say the least, is dependable?  It's not going to happen, so let's just all move on.

-Good news.  Those rumored uniform changes for the Dolphins are just that...rumors.  No truth to them.  Thank goodness!

Don't forget to get involved with our first round of community projections.  We've begun with Channing Crowder and Joey Porter.

Yesterday I posted some quick thoughts on the Dolphins loss to the Bucs on Saturday night.  I told you all I'd have a more comprehensive review today, and that's what I'm hoping to provide.  I re-watched the 1st half of the game and jotted down some things I noticed.  So let's get to it.

JOHN BECK & CHAD HENNE
Where else would we start than with these two.  First off, let's talk John Beck.  I know his 5 for 9 stat line isn't all that impressive.  But I think some of those plays to the fullbacks were designed.  So don't go saying he was "checking down too much" just yet.  Remember that Tony Sparano wants to see if both fullbacks can catch the football and then make a play.  And on both of those plays, it seemed like John looked right at the FBs as if they were the primary receiver on the play.  And both were solid, positive plays.

Also, on the screen pass that John threw into the ground, that wasn't a bad throw.  In fact, it was a very smart play and shows that he has a high "football IQ."  On the play, the back got held up and wasn't open for John to make the throw.  So he smartly threw it into the ground before the lineman got upfield and the team suffered an "ineligible man down field" penalty.  Those who think he should have held on and looked down the field must not have realized that.  That was actually an example of good "game management."

The only thing I would have liked to see John do differently probably would have been to take a chance on a throw when Ronde Barber blitzed from the CB spot.  He might have had an opening to fit the ball into Derek Hagan down the field, but it would have been close.  The safety was also in the area.  So John erred on the side of caution and took the sack.  But I guess I should keep in mind that if John made the throw and it got picked off, people would be screaming that he should have just "ate it" and not made taken the chance.  I guess the old saying is that "hindsight is always 20/20."  All in all, a solid, if unspectacular, start for Beck against the NFL's #1 pass defense in 2007.

Moving onto Chad Henne, it's easy to see why many are very high on him.  He had a solid performance and made some very nice throws.  He showed poise, both in the huddle and in the pocket, and good arm strength on a number of throws.  Also, his decision to throw the ball away down the left sideline on that 2nd down play from Tampa's 29 was very smart.

However, I don't think we should get too excited just yet.  First off, Henne faced mostly 2nd teamers.  So if anyone thinks he could step into the starting role right now based on his performance the other night, I'd say that's a little bit of a reach.  He wasn't up against the likes of Ronde Barber and Phillip Buchanon.  Also, Henne had some solid pass protection.  The line did a great job of providing Henne with a pocket to step up into on a number of his throws.  So, though I'm very encouraged at what I saw, I'm going to not get too excited.  After all, everyone was impressed with Beck's preseason last year and now many of those same people are ready to see John handed a pink slip.  Remember, this is just preseason.

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You'll recall that last year, right around this time of the year, Cam Cameron decided to let many of his veteran players basically relax during much of the preseason.  Some vets saw a few series, while others didn't even see the field in some games.

This year, that will not be the case.  While we don't know how much any particular player will play, we should all expect the entire team to see action in these exhibition games.  Says Sparano:

"We need to be in a game, be in a game environment. We need to get as many guys into uniform as we can get in uniform, being in that locker room together, coming out of that tunnel together. (We need to) be on the sideline together, go through whatever we're going to go through in that game together."

I couldn't have said it better myself.  I agree 100% with Sparano's line of logic here.  Sparano also talked a little about how coming off of a 1-15 season, this team needs a culture change.  I think that we've already seen some of that change in culture in terms of the offseason training program as well as the way training camp has been handled so far by this coaching staff.  Playing all the players who are able to physically play is the next logical step in this culture change.

DEFENSIVE LINE ROTATION
Speaking of Saturday's preseason opener against the Buccaneers at Dolphin Stadium, I wanted to quickly touch on something other than the QB competition that deserves some attention.

The one position that I am confident has been upgraded greatly is the defensive line.  The addition of Jason Ferguson alone was huge.  But to also bring in a versatile player like Randy Starks and then draft two ends like Phillip Merling and Kendall Langford really will drastically improve this team's defensive front, especially against the run.

But the addition of all these new players up front means that there is a lot of competition going on and that there will likely be some kind of defensive line rotation.  Vonnie Holliday has reportedly looked great in camp so far, so his starting spot is probably safe.  But the same can't be said for Matt Roth.  This weel, Roth is working out some as an outside linebacker in Miami's 3-4, which is a good move because it shows that this coaching staff is committed to finding every possible way to maximize each player's potential.  However, this week when Roth lines up as a DE, he's been working primarily with the 2nd team while Langford, the rookie out of Hampton, has been getting some work as a 1st team end.

This has to make you wonder if there's a shot that Langford, a rookie from a small school, might actually win a starting job right out of camp.  He's clearly a little further ahead of fellow rookie Phillip Merling (no knock on Merling - Langford has played his college career in a 3-4 while Merling is still learning the fundamentals of it) and he seems to be outplaying the veteran, Matt Roth, on a daily basis.  So that will be one thing to keep an eye on come Saturday.

Also, it's worth mentioning that the battle to be Ferguson's primary backup as nose tackle is up in the air.  Paul Soliai has reportedly looked much improved over last year.  Meanwhile, the versatile Randy Starks can potentially play both DE or NT in a 3-4.  So which will see action first on Saturday, spelling Ferguson at nose?

Those are just a few of the storylines to pay attention to as Saturday's exhibition opener approaches.

As always, your thoughts below...

In the classic movie The Shawshank Redemption, Tim Robbins' character says, "Hope is a good thing; maybe the best of things."  Every year, as we enter training camp, I'm often reminded of that line.  After all, last season officially means nothing anymore and in the NFL, things can change quickly.

As a Dolphin fan, all we can ask for to start each and every season is "hope."

Armando Salguero wrote a little blurb on his blog yesterday about what he's hopeful for this season.  But the thing is, he really isn't a Dolphin fan.  He doesn't have the passion for the Dolphins that die-hards like all of us have.  So reading his list really doesn't mean much.  In fact, reading his 5th reason makes me cringe.  He hopes the Dolphins don't suck, but are bad enough to have a top 3 pick.  I'm sorry, but it isn't until December when I start thinking about the draft.  Until then, it's all about the "W's."

So as we sit here on the day that the players are to report to practice and less than one day from the first official practice of training camp, I want to know what you are hopeful for.  I want to know why you are excited for this upcoming season.

To get us started, below are the 5 biggest reasons that I'm filled with hope as we enter this new era of Dolphins football.

1. Getting one step closer to identifying the QB of the future for the Miami Dolphins.  Both John Beck and Chad Henne could potentially be franchise QBs, something this team has lacked since #13 wore the aqua and orange.  And while this year may not tell us that we do indeed have a true franchise QB on the roster, it will certainly help us figure out who might not be the QB this team needs.  Either way, we're definitely getting closer to solving this puzzle.  And like many of you know, I just have a feeling that Beck will be the guy.  But if that's so, now is the time for him to prove it.  He doesn't need a great year, but he certainly can't afford a bad one.

2. The offensive line will be much improved.  The addition of Justin Smiley and drafting of Jake Long will provide a huge boost to this offensive line.  When you consider that Vernon Carey's move back to the right side will have even more of a positive impact and that Samson Satele will only improve on what was a surprisingly effective rookie season, there's a lot to be optimistic about in terms of this starting offensive line.  Just please, keep the starters healthy!

3. Ted Ginn's development.  I really enjoyed watching him improve last year from where he was in training camp to where he was in week 17.  The kid's got a ton of talent - and I'm not just talking about his speed.  He proved all the critics wrong and showed exceptional hands last year.  With improved route running and a better offensive system, Ginn has a chance to really open some eyes this year - leading to a breakout 2009 season (remember, it usually takes WRs 3 seasons to put everything together).

4. The defensive line will be far better than last season.  We all remember how this team got run on the entire 2007 season.  Well this new regime really made the defensive line a priority this offseason.  The selections of Phillip Merling (if he ever signs) and Kendall Langford will really help solidify a line that was already improved earlier in the offseason thanks to the acquisitions of Jason Ferguson and Randy Starks.

5. A new coaching staff with a new attitude.  I really can't wait to see how this team responds day in and say out to a new coaching staff - one which the players seemingly respect.  I think we're going to see all new highs in terms of work ethic and heart.  Many players - especially those on the defensive side of the ball - already have sung the praises of this new staff and their new attitude.  Now we get to see how this translates into on-field production.

So that's why I'm hopeful and extremely excited as we enter camp.

Oh, and just one side note: If either of the two 2nd rounders (Merling and Henne) hold out of camp and miss even one single practice, they're absolute turds in my book.  In no way should a 2nd round pick ever miss any of training camp due to contract issues.  It's ridiculous and it'll take time for me, once they are in camp, to warm up to them again.  Just my 2 cents.

Anyways, tell us why you, as a Dolphin fan, have hope for this upcoming season.  What are you excited to see?

Remember how quickly the Dolphins started out signing their draft picks this year?  They were the early league leader in signings and GM Jeff Ireland even set a goal of July 1 to have all the draft picks signed.  But that didn't happen.

Now, though, the Palm Beach Post is reporting that the Dolphins are close to signing 3rd round pick Kendall Langford.  Ireland reportedly said that Langford would sign "any day now."

That's good news for sure.

But what about the team's two 2nd round picks, Phillip Merling and Chad Henne?

We talked a few months back about how the Patriots' loss of a first round pick because of "spygate" would potentially create issues for signing Merling because he was the 32nd player picked - usually a first rounder.  But in 2008, the 32nd pick was the first pick of round 2.

However, the Post points out another issue facing the Dolphins in terms of getting Merling and Henne signed.  What is it?  It seems the Dolphins, thanks to having 9 draft picks (one of which being the #1 overall pick), are running out of money in their rookie salary pool.  What this means is that the final picks to sign will end up losing out on "up-front" money.  And this could be why it's taking so long to get Merling and Henne signed.

Another issue facing Henne and Merling, and all 2nd round picks for that matter, is the fact that the owners opted out of the collective bargaining agreement.  This is creating difficulty in getting any 2nd round picks to sign and is likely the reason that only 1 second round pick in the entire league has signed. 

Basically, most 2nd rounders sign 4 year deals.  However, there is no CBA in place for that 4th year (2011).  This raises issues when dealing with things such as guaranteed money in that 4th and final season.  Because no CBA is in place, teams can't guarantee money beyond 2010.  And the NFLPA is urging the agents for these players to take negotiations slow until some kind of resolution can be found for this issue.

And a resolution will likely come next week when the Player's Association goes in front of a "Special Master" to figure out this situation.  So assuming that some kind of answer to this problem is figured out by the end of next week, that would leave the Dolphins one week to get Henne and Merling signed before the start of training camp on July 26.

Will there be pressure to get this done?  Sure.  But fear not - as I'm quite confident that both Merling and Henne will be signed by camp.

Remeber the self-imposed deadline that GM Jeff Ireland proclaimed a couple of weeks ago?  He said that he wanted all his rookies signed by July 1. 

Well today is obviously July 1.  And no, there haven't been any signing.  And there likely will not be any signings this week or even next week.  Why?  Jeff Ireland is on vacation.  In fact, so is Tony Sparano and Bill Parcells.  So don't waste your time staring at the clock all day over the next few days waiting for Phillip Merling, Chad Henne, and Kendall Langford to get signed.  It's not going to happen.

However, that same article also points out that the agents for the 3 players all say "the contracts will be completed soon."  So don't expect any holdouts, either.  They'll all be there on July 26, which is now just 3 and a half weeks away!