Before the April 26 draft, the Dolphins will try to help themselves and the other 31 teams by signing the top pick to a deal that is worth less than the record-setting pact Oakland's JaMarcus Russell received last year.

. . . ''The draft was designed to positively affect the game on the field and create competitive balance, and now we find it's doing just the opposite,'' said Bill Polian, the president of the Indianapolis Colts.