It's been obvious since late January that the Miami Dolphins are ready to move on from free-agent running back Reggie Bush while turning the backfield over to breakout candidate Lamar Miller.
Now that the NFL's unrestricted free-agent negotiating window is open, a source close to Bush told The Miami Herald that three teams -- but not the Dolphins -- have been talking to agent Joel Segal. The money bandied about in those early discussions is labeled as "significant."
What's even more interesting is that the source made it clear that Bush "categorically will not be back in Miami."
Am I the only one smelling sour grapes?
While we have no way of verifying the veracity of the discussions, we can point out that Bush's camp benefits from the appearance of multiple teams being willing to part with serious money.
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Among Bush's suitors, it's a good bet the Detroit Lions have been the most aggressisve. The Lions have had "real" interest for weeks, and Bush has emerged as one of their "top targets" in free agency.
Whether interest from teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals or San Diego Chargers goes beyond the cursory stage remains to be seen.
UPDATE:USA Today reported Saturday the Arizona Cardinals have contacted Bush's agent, according to a source with knowledge of the communication. That's no surprise, as new coach Bruce Arians looks to upgrade a backfield that has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.