Philip Rivers got his; is Eli Manning next?

All around him and everywhere he looks, Giants quarterback Eli Manning is surrounded by other guys at his position getting landmark extensions for landmark sums.

The Steelers drowned Ben Roethlisberger in sixty million guaranteed dollars. As did the Seahawks with Russell Wilson, and the Panthers for Cam Newton. Miami doused perpetually average signal caller Ryan Tannehill in $45 million guaranteed, and the Chargers on Saturday gave Philip Rivers an early Christmas bonus.

Four years, $83.3 million for Rivers all told, and the $65 million they guaranteed him is the most for a quarterback in the NFL. The number of Super Bowls currently residing in San Diego? Precisely none. 

And in the Giants' trophy case? Four. Two of which were put there by the younger Manning. Twice as many as the other Manning, the one who was supposed to win them.

So, of course, the negotiations to extend the leader of their pack during those two campaigns must be on, right? Wrong.

Apparently, it takes less time for the United States to get the Supreme Leader of Iran's signature on paper than it does for the Giants to get Eli Manning's John Hancock on one.

Giants co-owner John Mara said as training camp was getting started that some manner of agreement would be had between the two before too long. Manning will be playing the final year of his current contract and this offseason watched two of his cohorts from the 2004 Draft get upgraded, again.

Mara has intimated that these sorts of things are a kind of ritual. The agent, he says, "asks for the moon" before being talked back down to earth by sensible management. For what price Tom Condon, Manning's man in that room, currently believes the moon is worth no one knows. Because no one has asked.

If the transactions in Pittsburgh and San Diego (and Charlotte?) are any indication, it's worth around $60 million guaranteed. 

Dolphins owner expects wins to come now

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is plum tuckered out from watching the Patriots pillage their way to continuous AFC East domination.

And after an active offseason under a new executive team, somebody got the wise idea of asking him if this was the year for results.

"You're Goddamn right," he said. "The roster, since I've been here, has never been as good."

Miami signed quarterback Ryan Tannehill to a four-year extension this offseason, picked up wide receiver Kenny Stills from the Saints and tight end Jordan Cameron from the Browns. 

And they broke the bank with the acquisition of former Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a six-year, $114 million deal with $60 million guaranteed money.

"They came here because they want to win," Ross said. "Players have options. It's not all about the money."

It's also about the postseason berth Ross said in adamant terms Joe Philbin will take his Dolphins to this year.

"Joe expects to win," he said. "I expect to win."

Ross, who publicly (and obviously) supported Roger Goodell in his upholding Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's four game suspension, has to be thinking this is the greatest chance in a decade and a half that someone other than New England can claim the division.

"We've done an awful lot," Ross told the Dolphins website. "You can look around. In every single area, we've made changes. We've thought outside the box. We're looking to be the best in class. You can see the players that we've attracted, what they expect and you put it all together, that's what makes winning teams."

What remained unspoken was what would happen, likely by him personally, should Joe Philbin fail to get the Dolphins into the playoffs after these wonderful moves. One wonders if it needs to be said, after all. It's been said often that NFL stands for "Not For Long." Philbin has manned Miami's sidelines for four seasons now, and any effort that fails after all the new "pieces" they've added most likely wouldn't result in a fifth.

"We're all looking to win," Ross said.

Dolphins hosting WR Welker

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Free agent wide receiver Wes Welker will pay a visit to where his career started as the Miami Dolphins host the eleven-year veteran on Tuesday, a source close to the team confirmed.

Welker began his career Dolphins in 2004 out of Texas Tech before a trade moved him to New England three years later, tallying five seasons with at least 100 receptions and five years with his name added as a Pro Bowl selection.

He snagged a career-best 10 touchdowns with the Broncos in 2013, though his age (33) and three concussions have marked a slowdown in his production. 

Last season in nine appearances for Denver, Welker caught only 34 balls for 282 yards and two scores, one of those the other end of Peyton Manning's 508th touchdown pass, tying Brett Favre for the most then all-time. 

The Dolphins also hosted pass-catchers Greg Jennings and Michael Crabtree two weeks ago as they look to bolster a receiving corps that last season finished 13th in football (254.1 ypg).

Dolphins host WR Jennings

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - In need of experience at the wide receiver position, the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday will host veteran wide-out Greg Jennings, according to multiple reports.

Jennings, a Super Bowl XLV champion with the Packers, will head to south Florida following the team's meeting with Michael Crabtree fell through after both sides failed to agree on the numbers for a deal.

The 31-year-old Jennings was released by the Vikings after one season in March, shortly after the Dolphins would send pass-catcher Mike Wallace to Minnesota, and the Fins were near the top of the radar in 2013 when Jennings was looking for work after heading out of Green Bay.

Despite falling production overall, Jennings would likely find himself near the top of the depth chart in Miami, joining Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry. 

Last season found Jennings tally 742 yards on 59 receptions for six touchdowns for the 7-9 Vikings.

Dolphins extend Philbin one year

MIAMI, Fla. - Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced on Monday he will extend the contract on his head coach Joe Philbin for one year into the 2016 season.

He told the media of his decision at the NFL Owners' Meetings held this week in Phoenix, expressing concern that Philbin would be thought a "lame duck" coach heading into the last year on his current deal.

"You don't get the best from someone when they're operating with a gun to their head," Ross said on Monday.

Philbin is 23-25 in three seasons with the team, facing concerns over in-game management, his failure to produce a winning season, and the bullying scandal of 2013 that saw offensive lineman Richie Incognito excused from the team.

Miami came off an 8-8 record last season and recently signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a $114 million deal that made him the highest paid defensive player in NFL history.

Dolphins: WR Brandon Gibson released

MIAMI, Fla. - A day after releasing veteran wide receiver Brian Hartline, the Dolphins on Friday cut fellow pass catcher Brandon Gibson, according to the team and multiple reports.

Gibson signed a three-year deal before the 2013 season and featured in seven games for the team, notching 30 passes, before being put on injured reserve following a knee injury.

The 27-year-old from Washington State had 295 yards on 29 receptions and a touchdown in 14 games last season in Miami and was due $3.26 million next season with a cap hit of $4.3 million.

Dolphins: WR Brian Hartline to be released, says agent

MIAMI, Fla. - Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline will be cut from the team on Friday, according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, per several media outlets.

Hartline had the lowest output of his career last season, snagging only 34 receptions on 474 yards in all 16 regular season appearances, after netting more than 1,000 yards in his previous two campaigns.

He was due a base payment of $5.9 million this coming season, the third in a five-year deal worth $30 million.

The six-year veteran has 12 career touchdowns on 4,243 yards for the Dolphins, who finished last season 8-8 and out of the postseason for their sixth-straight year.