Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland says that the team will release linebacker Joey Porter because of his declining performance. Ireland said Thursday that Porter's pending release is based entirely on his "performance on the field" and not his "talking off the field." In a strange turn of events, Ireland than offered support to struggling safety Gibril Wilson.

Miami general manager Jeff Ireland can?t say whether his team would have been better in 2009 with or without Chad Pennington at quarterback. But Pennington?s season-ending right shoulder injury in Week 3 at San Diego did give the Dolphins a chance for a good look at Chad Henne. ?We have young players, have to see them develop,? Ireland said. ?I don?t have a crystal ball, so I don?t know how much better off we were without Chad Pennington. But Chad Henne is our quarterback right now. ?His playing time and the experience he had in 2009 was exceptional. He was put in some tough situations, and he needs to develop. I?m very pleased.? Pennington is a free agent this offseason. ?We?ve talked to Chad on a number of different avenues,? Ireland said. ?I don?t want to reveal my cards as far as my offseason plans, but I like Chad a lot. He?s a leader.?

Dolphins linebacker Jason Taylor recently underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery and is expected to be out three months. Taylor, 35, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 5, but it doesn't appear he'll be signing anywhere soon.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Will Allen was arrested and charged with a DUI early Saturday morning after revving his engine and refusing to get out of his car at a police barricade near South Beach. Allen, 31, was arrested at 3:30 a.m. where the MacArthur Causeway connects to Alton Road, according to an arrest affidavit filed by investigators.

The Cowboys want to keep wide receiver Miles Austin, but they won't franchise him and there is a possibility that they won't offer a long-term deal either. A franchise tag would cost the Cowboys a $9.521 million salary for next year and require two first round picks as compensation if another team signed him to a long deal. "We're just not going to have Miles Austin any place but with the Dallas Cowboys," owner Jerry Jones said on 103.3 FM ESPN radio. The strategy could backfire given Austin's breakout season and the number of teams looking for help at receiver, including the Dolphins and former Cowboys coach Bill Parcells.

Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfolk wants to leave the team if they don't provide him with a long-term contract. Wilfork has been asking New England for a contract extension for two seasons, but talks have never gone anywhere. The Patriots are expected to place their franchise tag on the tackle, but Wilford says he's ready to play hardball. "We've been waiting for two years. Been trying to talk for two years. I did all the things I could do. Did all the right things to the point people questioned me why I did it. Why I was the good soldier. Why I playing through pain and risking my career for one year. But I loved the game of football," said Wilfork. "I signed a six-year deal [as a rookie] when a lot of people weren't. I played it out. I did the right thing and it's time for me to move on. This is definitely not on me. We'll see where it goes from here." Wilfork, who played high school and college football in Florida, isn't shy about his desire to return to the state. He said playing for either the Dolphins or Buccaneers would be "a dream come true."

Linebacker Karlos Dansby is expected to hit the free-agent market this March. Speaking to Sirius Radio's Adam Schein, Dansby listed the Dolphins, Giants, Redskins and Chargers as the teams he prefers.

The Dolphins would love to add wide receiver Vincent Jackson, but an official told the Miami Herald that a deal is unlikely. The Chargers can match any offer or get draft-pick compensation (likely first- and third-rounders) for Jackson and the receiver says he's intent on staying with San Diego.

Dolphins cornerback Will Allen says he'll be a starter for the team next season. "I'm starting," Allen declared last week. "You can put that wherever you want. I've started every year. I don't expect that to change now." Miami has a pair of promising young cornerbacks in Sean Smith and Vontae Davis. Allen, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Oct. 25 against the Saints, said he will be healthy long before the season.

Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown is rehabbing from a foot injury and hinted that he may not have a future in Miami. He says he's "ahead of schedule" in his recovery and that training camp is a realistic goal. "If it was up to me, ultimately I want to be here," Brown said of Miami. "I think I've established a foundation here and I'd love to be here for the rest of my career. Unfortunately, sometimes there are decisions that have to be made." He would become a free agent if the NFL achieves a new labor agreement before March 5.