The Facts: The NFL Players Association is concerned that the Patriots and Dolphins violated the CBA while putting together the recent trade of Welker and has asked the NFL Management Council for an explanation, according to a source. "They may have violated the CBA rule that says one club can't offer the player's former team anything that would [sway] that team from matching their offer," the source said.

Diehards Line:According to Sun-Sentinel staffer Harvey Fialkov, the NFLPA's interest in the matter stemmed from complaints made by Welker's agent, Vann McElroy, regarding the devaluation of his client because of possible violations. The inquiry was also based on a series of newspaper and Internet reports leading up to the trade that indicated that the Patriots were set to give Welker, then a restricted free agent, an offer sheet worth $38.5 million over seven years on March 3. ... An unnamed agent told Fialkov these inquiries generally "go nowhere."