"The Joey Porter saga picked up steam Monday.

The outspoken linebacker went on the Jim Rome show on ESPN and said he doesn't want to return to the Dolphins unless he is a full-time starter.

An NFL source confirmed that Porter has told the Dolphins he would like to be traded in the wake of a frustrating season.

Porter missed two games - one because of injury and one because coach Tony Sparano deactivated him - and his playing time was reduced, in part to make room for younger players such as Cameron Wake and Charlie Anderson.

Porter, who turns 33 on March 22, told Rome on his Miami Beach set that his situation "could easily have been fixed" by management.

However, the Dolphins might decide he is too expensive to keep because of his diminishing skills and up-and-down attitude.

The Dolphins have until March 4 to release Porter or pay him a $1 million roster bonus.

In addition, Porter is scheduled to earn a base salary of $3.8 million in 2010 and a $200,000 workout bonus.

If Miami releases Porter, the team would owe him nothing.

Reached on his cell phone Monday night, Porter declined to comment before hanging up.

Last week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland said Porter had not told the organization he wants to leave.

"Not to my knowledge," Ireland said."