Since the start of the year, seven Dolphins players have dumped their existing agents and signed with Rosenhaus, giving him 10 clients on the team in a pursuit that could be considered relentless even by his standards. This has infuriated the spurned agents. According to multiple sources, at least two have told the team they will no longer steer their clients toward the Dolphins for fear that Rosenhaus, who is forever lurking at the perimeter of the Miami practice field, schmoozing with players, will swipe them.

The team's top brass, including executive vice president Bill Parcells and general manager Jeff Ireland, has met twice to express concerns about Rosenhaus' routine.

Rosenhaus, who started his agency at age 22 and has published an autobiography titled A Shark Never Sleeps, which includes a chapter about his Dolphins-loving youth, said it is all jealousy. He called the latest threats from competing agents ``ridiculous.''

``That guy should be kicked out of the business,'' Rosenhaus said of any agent threatening to boycott the Dolphins because of him. ``Here's what I would say to that guy: No. 1, you're a coward. No. 2, you're a poor competitor. And No. 3, you don't have your client's best interest at heart.''

An afternoon practice has just ended, and Rosenhaus is standing behind a white, plastic fence no higher than four feet. His left hand is resting on top of it, allowing him to stay as close as possible to the border without crossing over.

In a slow stampede toward the locker room, a herd of 80 Dolphins players is passing at once within 15 to 20 yards of him. A few of them peel off to greet their family and friends, who are standing behind that same waist-high fence.

Linebacker Cameron Wake, not represented by Rosenhaus, is one of those players. A fan wanted to give Wake a photo, so he walks over to retrieve it.

``Hi, Cam,'' Rosenhaus says, greeting Miami's rising star while he's in the area. The two shake hands and speak for 30 seconds before Wake moves along.

It is casual and quick, an exchange between two men with mutual friends in a mutual industry. No rules are broken. No lines are crossed.

But was Wake being recruited, too?

``I don't know,'' Wake said. ``It hadn't crossed my mind. I was getting a picture from a fan, and we said hello to each other. That's it.

``Maybe you know more than I know. I don't think I'm big-time enough for that yet.''

It is that last word ``yet'' -- that should sends shivers through every other agent with a Dolphins client. It's the same word that shoots electricity through Rosenhaus, who has a team of five employees prepared to pounce if Wake should express the slightest interest.

OBEYING THE RULES

According to the rules governed by the NFL Players Association, an agent cannot talk business or provide information about his or her prospective services until the player first expresses an interest on his own.

``That's a green light,'' said Jason Rosenhaus, Drew's brother, who keeps the agency in check with the rules. ``At that point, we followed the rules. That's the line. We never cross the line. Once a guy is in our line of fire, we pull the trigger and go for it.''