The Dolphins aren't done dealing, the holdouts aren't done holding, and real, honest-to-goodness football is just four sleeps away. Welcome to the last Sunday before Week 1.

• while Jerry Jones has made a point of flapping his gums at anyone holding a microphone when it comes to Ezekiel Elliott's holdout, things have been ominously quiet on the Melvin Gordon front. Chargers GM Tom Telesco made it clear Sunday that any talk of an extension for the running back would now have to wait until after the 2019 season. Given that 2019 will be the final year of his rookie contract (assuming Gordon returns at some point early enough that the season counts towards his contract), 'extension' doesn't seem like the right word exactly, but at any rate, the ball would now seem to be in his court. Play this season for $5.6 million, hope he doesn't get hurt, and look for a big payday over the winter, or... don't. Le'Veon Bell seemed to make out all right taking the latter course, but he also had to play one season on the franchise tag to set up his 2018 holdout, so the situations aren't quite analogous.
• speaking of Ezekiel Elliott, someone involved in the negotiations has been leaking that things are close between the two-time rushing champ and the Cowboys. It probably doesn't help Dallas' position that the team will have gobs of cap space in 2020, even after they ink Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper. Even though I have some Tony Pollard shares, I've maintained all preseason that Zeke will probably be in the lineup Week 1, and while it could be tight, things seem to be trending in that direction.
• there was a raft of fantasy-relevant tight end news for a change Sunday. Niners GM John Lynch suggested that George Kittle might see fewer snaps this season, although that wouldn't mean he'll see fewer targets. This seems like an easier-said-than-done situation -- if you take him off the field for plays when he isn't a primary target, you're basically telegraphing a running play -- but it's at least encouraging that the team is trying to find ways to keep Kittle healthy.
• Trey Burton, who has been recovering from a sports hernia, isn't a lock to play in Week 1. The Bears kept saying all preseason that his absence was just precautionary, but now the preseason is over and he's still absent from practice, so that line just doesn't fly any more. If Burton is sidelined, third-year Gronk knockoff Adam Shaheen becomes an interesting sleeper in leagues where you have to worry about sleepers at tight end.
• in more encouraging injury news, Jimmy Graham returned to practice Sunday from a finger injury. Now 32 years old and with his New Orleans heyday long behind him, his numbers cratered at the end of 2018 while he played through a broken thumb, but his current ailment doesn't seem anywhere near as serious. The Packers are hoping he can at least provide Aaron Rodgers with a consistent red-zone threat this season -- Graham did haul in 10 TDs two years ago in his final campaign with Seattle.
• Washington cleared some veteran deadwood like Josh Doctson off its roster, leaving rookie and popular sleeper option Terry McLaurin in a starting role to begin the season. The third-round pick has field-stretching speed that sets him apart in the team's receiving corps, but Case Keenum may not be the QB to take advantage of his skill set. Like much of the Washington offense, we may not have a clear idea of what McLaurin can do until Dwayne Haskins eventually takes over under center.
• a couple of other sleepers found themselves in favorable roster spots after cutdown day as well. Dare Ogunbowale won the No. 3 RB job for the Buccaneers, and he'll be working behind Peyton Barber -- who's three-clouds-of-dust-and-a-yard approach isn't a great fit for Bruce Arians' offense -- and Ronald Jones, who has yet to do a darn thing in the NFL. It's not hard to see a path to a significant workload for the third-year back. Jacksonville placed Alfred Blue on IR to begin the year, leaving rookie Ryquell Armstead as the backup to Leonard Fournette. Given that Fournette's missed 11 games in his first two NFL seasons, Armstead could find himself at the top of the depth chart at any moment.
• in IDP news, Jadeveon Clowney signed his franchise tender after the Seahawks outright stole him from the Texans. The Seattle pass rush could be fierce in the second half with Clowney, Ezekiel Ansah (currently on the mend from a shoulder injury) and Jarran Reed (suspended for six games) getting after the quarterback while Bobby Wagner and Mychal Kendricks clean things up behind them. The Legion of Boom has faded into history, but the 'Hawks still have plenty of impact players on defense.
• Miami also flipped Kiko Alonso to New Orleans as they continue to shed salary. The Saints' linebacking corps is a little banged up, so Alonso could see a decent snap count to begin the year if the mystery injury he dealt with in camp isn't an issue, but his days of being a consistent source of triple-digit tackles are probably over.
• finally, here's this year's crop of fresh-faced new kickers ready to become the focal point of their coach's ire and fan base's hatred: fifth-round pick Austin Seibert takes over in Cleveland; Joey Slye replaces Graham Gano in Carolina after the veteran landed on IR; Matt Gay represents Tampa Bay's latest attempt to find the next Martin Gramatica (hey, they have the same initials!); Kaare Vedvik, who got traded from the Ravens to the Vikings a few weeks ago, was cut by the Vikings and scooped up by the Jets;  and Eddy Pineiro, who spent his entire rookie year on IR with Oakland in 2018, will try to wipe away memories of Cody Parkey in Chicago. Also, he's hardly fresh-faced, but 44-year-old Matt Bryant has come out of retirement and returned to Atlanta.