While the two sides might be close on some financial elements, a wide disparity on their philosophies involving an incentives package has kept the Miami Dolphins from reaching a contract agreement with Brian Griese, and the agent for the former Denver quarterback may soon ramp up negotiations with other suitors.

"We haven't really moved things forward," agent Ralph Cindrich told ESPN.com on Wednesday. "I know there are people who maybe think I'm overplaying my hand when I say we have two other teams who are interested. But, believe me, it's no (bluff). We said all along the Dolphins were the frontrunners, but we're not making progress there."

Things are to the point now, in fact, where Griese might actually visit with officials from one of the other suitors, teams Cindrich which has arduously declined to identify.

Conventional wisdom held that Griese, released by the Broncos on Monday afternoon for salary cap reasons, would strike a quick deal with Miami, where his father was a Hall of Fame quarterback, and be on the field when the Dolphins began a three-day quarterback school Tuesday. But those sessions concluded Thursday without a Griese appearance and, with the sides still at an impasse Thursday, the initial sense of urgency has been removed from negotiations.

The Dolphins will not convene for another round of organized workouts until June 16 and that fact has taken some of the steam out of the courtship process.

More than any other factor, however, it is the disparate stances on an incentive package that has stalled the discussions. Griese has all but accepted the fact he would go to Miami as the backup to starter Jay Fiedler but, like most players in a competitive situation, wants to protect himself financially if he unseats the incumbent or is forced to play because of an injury or general ineptitude.

Miami officials prefer that, even if Griese becomes the starter, he reach exceedingly high performance levels before being rewarded.

Under terms of the Dolphins' latest proposal in writing, for instance, Griese could play in 59 percent of the offensive snaps in 2003, and lead Miami to a Super Bowl victory, and his total compensation would be just $1.63 million. For him to qualify for any kind of a bonus based on passing yards, Griese would have to throw for 3,800 yards, a level that he never achieved in any of his four seasons as the Broncos starter.

Were he to play 100 percent of the snaps in 2003 and take the Dolphins to Super Bowl XXXVIII, Griese's compensation would still be less than the average for a starter in the league, according to the Miami proposal.

There is also a difference of opinion on how a second year of what both sides essentially agree would be a two-year contract should be structured. Cindrich and Griese prefer that a lucrative spring 2004 roster bonus be part of the deal, a mechanism that would force the Dolphins to either keep the veteran as their starter, or release him to avoid having to pay the bonus. The Dolphins again want the big money in the deal tied to performance in the second season and would structure the deal in such a way that they wouldn't necessarily have to release Griese if he wasn't the projected starter.

It is believed that Griese is seeking compensation of between $1.7 million-$2 million for the 2003 season.

Coach Dave Wannstedt and vice president of football operations Rick Spielman have said that, while they want to sign Griese, there are limits to their ardor. The Dolphins currently are $2.737 under the salary cap, according to NFL Players Association documents, and the '03 cap charge for Griese under their proposal is $1,000,030.

Clearly, a deal that was believed imminent earlier this week now appears nowhere close to consummating.

"We've never put all our eggs in one basket. We're dealing with it and I'm still optimistic that something will get worked out,'' Wannstedt said. "There's been no indication on their part or our part that both parties don't want it to happen. And usually when you've got that attitude you've got a chance to get something done.''

"We just don't feel that Brian is some guy they're taking off the street," Cindrich said. "He's a starting caliber quarterback. There are things on which we simply have to cover ourselves. That could mean looking around at some other options."

At least one of those options, two sources familiar with discussion said on Wednesday night, included a situation where Griese would be able to legitimately compete for the starting job.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.