DAVIE, Fla. — Joey Porter entered Miami Dolphins training camp with some pop. No. 1 overall draft pick Jack Long felt it.

Porter had the rookie left tackle on his heels, pushing through the offensive line for two sacks in his first training camp practice after being sidelined with a sprained left ankle that kept him from taking a mandatory conditioning test last week. Porter was cleared to play Monday night and is showing no lingering effects from the injury.

"I told you it was just something minor," Porter said. "But it was no use me just rushing out there on the first day when my ankle is still tender."

The 31-year-old linebacker injected some flash at the Dolphins' complex, throwing running backs to the ground, hurling Long on one occasion and, as always, adding a few choice words to let them know he's back.

"You can always feel Joey when he's around," linebacker Akin Ayodele said. "He's kind of our energy out there. He talks, but he backs it up."

The Dolphins are hoping Porter can finally back up his contract.

He was one of the biggest disappointments on the 1-15 Dolphins last year. After signing a $32 million, five-year contract before last season — of which $20 million is guaranteed — he had only 5› sacks and never did make those game-changing plays that earned him such a lucrative deal.

Porter blamed the poor production on the scheme by then-defensive coordinator Dom Capers, which the linebacker felt didn't maximize his abilities. First-year Dolphins coach Tony Sparano has said he plans to use Porter in the manner he excelled during eight seasons in Pittsburgh, where he was primarily a pass-rushing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.

"I told you in the spring this scheme right here I'm familiar with," Porter said. "It's a 3-4 scheme and it's what I've been waiting for and we got it now, so we have to go out there and try to put pressure on a lot of different offenses that we see."

Porter, in his 10th NFL season and a three-time Pro Bowler during eight years in Pittsburgh, is expecting big things this year. At his peak, he had 10› sacks and five forced fumbles in 2005 to lead the Steelers to a Super Bowl title.

But knee injuries seemed to slow him down before he ever played a game for the Dolphins.

He had arthroscopic knee surgery before training camp in 2007, and he missed all the exhibition season, but played in every regular-season game.

"We are happy not only to see him out there, but after practice how he responded was very positive. We need him healthy," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said.

Porter intends to participate in the preseason this year and hopes to help Miami's young group of linebackers learn the defense. He's also hoping to push the revamped offensive line, including Long, who enjoyed his first training camp matchup with Porter.

"He made sure I was paying attention," Long said.

Porter said he's wasn't trying to make Long look bad, but wants to make sure the left tackle — and himself — are ready come gametime.

"Every day I'm out there I'm going to push him," Porter said. "He's going to push me, and hopefully at the end of this training camp everybody gets a little bit better and we start the season off on a good note like we're supposed to."