AP

The most-anticipated interviews of the year not involving Ryan Lochte are finally happening.

Via Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, the NFL has agreed to meet with the four players accused of PED use in a controversial Al Jazeera documentary that emerged last December. Per the report, Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers will be interviewed on Wednesday, August 24 in Green Bay, free-agent defensive lineman Mike Neal will be interviewed on Thursday, August 25 in Chicago, and Steelers linebacker James Harrison will be interviewed on Tuesday, August 30 in Pittsburgh.

The four players abruptly agreed to submit to the interviews last week, after the NFL applied an August 25 deadline for submitting or facing an indefinite suspension. The circumstances have prompted speculation from those in the know that the league made it known through back channels that the investigation is perfunctory and that the players will be exonerated fairly promptly after being interviewed.

Whether that happens remains to be seen. As explained earlier today, this specific type of potential violation falls within the narrow range of lingering final say for the Commissioner. So if the league decides that they violated the PED policy, Goodell or his designee will resolve it.