The Miami Dolphins parted ways with 8-year veteran guard Frank Middleton on Monday. Middleton has missed parts of the past two seasons with various leg injuries. "Frank's injury didn't allow him to get back in the kind of condition that he would like to be in to sustain the kind of performance that would've allowed him to make our team and contribute to our team," Dolphins coach Nick Saban said. "We thought the risk would be worth it to see if he could help us."

60-Miniutes host Mike Wallace, recently denied a second interview with Miami running back Ricky Williams, was in the Dolphins training camp yesterday asking some Mr. Williams some tough follow-up questions. Wallace even had Williams watch a clip from the televised interview Williams had granted him last December, in which the running back bet him a lunch or dinner that he would never play football again after walking away from the Dolphins before last season. "Lunch or dinner? Well, I work, so I'll say dinner," Williams quipped when reminded that he lost the bet. "I have a job now." "I realize that my concept of freedom at the time was a little off," said Williams. "I was sitting at home last night and thinking if there was any place in the world I'd rather be or anything I'd rather be doing, and the answer was, there was nothing.? "I've got to the point where happiness doesn't come from the outside. Whether I was back in California or whether I had $10 million, whatever I was doing, it wouldn't make me happier than I am now."

Formerly the No. 1 overall pick from the 1999 draft, Tim Couch confirmed on Thursday that his agent and the Dolphins have talked but have not yet set a date for a workout. "[The Dolphins] would be perfect for me," said the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Couch, who recently got married and has lived in Fort Lauderdale for the past few years. "I'm not sure what role they would want me to play, but I'm open to competition."

It hasn't been announced officially, but it appears the Dolphins' quarterback competition is over, the Palm Beach Post reported. Gus Frerotte will reportedly be the starter of the season opener against the Broncos on Sept. 11. Frerotte's passer rating through two games (84.6) is almost double A.J. Feeley's (42.7). Frerotte has thrown one touchdown -- with no interceptions -- and led the team to 13 points. Feeley has been intercepted once, has not led a scoring drive and has the shortest long pass of any of the four quarterbacks (22 yards).

The Miami Dolphins laid out a new contract to No.2 overall pick, Ronnie Brown and are hopeful the running back will take the new and improved offer. According to a source familiar with the talks, the Dolphins have offered a deal that would allow Brown to make more than $30 million over the course of a five-year contract. That includes $19.5 million in guarantees over that time.

Running back Ricky Williams earned nearly $16 million in his five-year NFL career, however, according to a review of his financial records found in court documents and state and county records, he has a net worth of less than $230,000. This is widely considered one of the major reasons for him returning to the NFL. "Everyone knows I have three children, so I was looking at my future," said Williams. "Whether I wanted to go back to school or start a new job, I'd have that settlement chasing me, so I can't say that it didn't play into my decision."

The Miami Dolphins may be without backup center Wade Smith for the entirety of the 2005 season after Smith suffered what looks to be a broken arm in practice on Monday. A source said Smith is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks, which would keep him out until at least early in the regular season. The Dolphins would have to decide wither to keep a roster spot open for Smith or put him on injured reserve.