"Disgruntled Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter isn't gone, after all.

But it's likely only a matter of time before the Dolphins manage to release him, which they tried but failed to do Friday.

During Super Bowl week, Porter had sought out every media outlet available to campaign for his freedom from the Dolphins.

They tried to accommodate him by cutting him Friday afternoon. But a few hours later, they were forced to reinstate him because the club was not able to absorb the required salary-cap hit, an NFL source confirmed.

When Porter signed a five-year, $32 million deal in March 2007, he received a $12 million signing bonus, which is prorated at $2.4 million a year.

Releasing him with two years left on the contract meant the Dolphins would take a salary-cap hit of $4.8 million. The Dolphins mistakenly thought they had adequate room under the cap, but the NFL told them they had miscalculated by $600,000, according to a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Dolphins recently lost their longtime salary-cap manager, Matt Thomas, to the Cleveland Browns. Miami replaced him with Dawn Aponte, who had previously worked for the Browns.

The Dolphins now likely will wait until March 5 - New Year's Day on the NFL calendar - to cut Porter. On that day, the NFL expects to begin an uncapped year unless the league and the NFL Players Association can agree on a new labor deal.

Unless the Dolphins clear cap space sooner by cutting another player, Porter will have to wait almost a month to seek a new suitor."