The Miami Dolphins signed tackle Jake Long, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft, several days before the draft.  And before any other team could sign even one draft pick, the Fins have added three more to the mix.

The team announced on Monday that running back Jalen Parmele, running back Lex Hilliard, and defensive end Lionel Dotson have agreed to terms.  As a result, four of the Fins’ nine 2008 draft picks are now under contract.

Parmele and Hilliard were picked in the sixth round, and Dotson was a seventh-rounder. 

The specific durations of the deals was not disclosed.  Under the CBA, players drafted after round one can be signed to contracts with a maximum length of four years.  Late-round picks often sign three-year deals. 

The difference between a three-year and a four-year rookie contract can be significant, since a player with a three-year deal becomes eligible for restricted free agency, which features one-year tender offers much higher than the minimum salary for a fourth-year player.  As a result, some players now have triggers in their contracts that push the salary in year four to the amount of one of the restricted free agency tenders.