PHOENIX -- The NFL's annual meetings kicks off early Monday morning with meetings and discussions and votes on an array of topics. The meetings will also serve as a way from Dolphins people to talk directly with the media that covers them.
The talk is necesary because somebody has to set the record straight.
That talk in which owner Stephen Ross, general manager Jeff Ireland and Executive Vice President of Football Operations will be available to the media is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Before that talk, allow me share with you record-correcting information I gathered today while reporting from the Biltmore Hotel where the meetings are being held:
One: Left tackle Jake Long did not visit the Dolphins facility Saturday in some cosmic attempt by the Dolphins to get him to re-sign with the team. That rumor was out there when several national and a one local reporter put that information on twitter.
Not only was Long not at the facility, I'm told, but the Dolphins staff themsevles weren't either. Ireland and Aponte and coach Joe Philbin were in Arizona already on Saturday in advance of these meetings.
Long remains a player the Dolphins want back on their team. But it cannot happen at his initial asking price. Long has a decision to make. His choice is return to the Dolphins or go play for the St. Louis Rams.
This is coming down to the wire. Everyone at the meetings expects Long to be signed within the next 24 hours. Who's he picking?
Miami or St. Louis.
Two: There has been speculation (including by me) that the addition of Mike Wallace, Brandon Gibson and re-signing of Brian Hartline made the situation look grim for Davone Bess. Understand that Miami signed two inside linebackers (Dannell Ellerbe and Phillip Wheeler) the first two days of free agency and got rid of two (Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett) as a result.
So it seems logical when guys come, somebody's got to go.
That's not necessarily how the Dolphins see it. They have no plans to cut him, I'm told. Yes, if some team blows Miami away on a trade, then Bess, like most of the players on the roster is available, but the likelihood of that is not very high.
At this point the plan is to let Miami's receivers compete for playing time. Bess, who finished the 2012 season on injured reserve, is expected to be part of that competition.
By the way, Dolphins fans have to get away from the idea that a team needs only three good wide receivers. The Dolphins currently have four receivers who have started games in the NFL and produced. That is a good thing.
Finally, Burnett who as noted above was cut last week, signed with the Raiders on Sunday. Interesting that he got a deal before Dansby, who has been a higher-paid player the past couple of seasons. Also interesting, the player Burnett will replace in Oakland is Phillip Wheeler -- who signed with the Dolphins.
