RICHMOND -- A federal grand jury will begin hearing new allegations Monday against Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.

This is part of a second, superseding indictment on more serious charges that prosecutors promised to seek against Vick.

This all comes as reports surface that Vick's attorneys may be negotiating a plea deal.

With the federal grand jury set to meet monday, that puts pressure on Vick and his lawyers to reach an agreement with prosecutors on charges related to a dogfighting ring.

Vick's three co-defendants all agreed to plead guilty to the charges against them.

"It's always an uphill battle when you got the three people who were indicted with you who have all agreed to plead guilty and probably testify against you," said Kent Alexander, a former federal prosecutor.

Thirty-five-year-old Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach and 28-year-old Quanis Phillips of Atlanta have scheduled plea hearings in federal court in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday and Friday.

Another of Vick's original co-defendants, Tony Taylor, pleaded guilty July 30th to taking part in a dogfighting conspiracy he said was financed by the Atlanta Falcons quarterback.

As part of a plea agreement, Taylor pledged to fully cooperate with the government in its prosecution of Vick, Peace and Phillips. They are accused of running an interstate dogfighting enterprise known as "Bad Newz Kennels" on Vick's property in rural Surry County.