MIAMI -- It appears Oronde Gadsden will let his contract status affect whether he can play with a torn ligament in his left wrist.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Saturday that Gadsden decided to undergo season-ending surgery on the wrist after failing to agree on a new contract with the Miami Dolphins. The fifth-year receiver is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2002 season.

"We have no choice," Gadsden's agent Michael Todd told the newspaper. "We wanted to get an extension as injury protection, but they offered a contract that should have gone to the 51st player on the roster instead of Oronde."

Gadsden, 31, suffered the injury during Miami's 24-22 win at Denver last Sunday night. He could try to play with the injury and delay the surgery until after the season, but is concerned that may cause potential suitors to shy away from him at the start of the free agent signing period.

A contract extension from the Dolphins would have convinced Gadsden to try to play with the injury, but Todd was unhappy with Miami's offer.

"Oronde really wants to go play, but he's mindful of the risk involved while doing so," Todd told the newspaper. "We're asking the Dolphins to share the risk, but they're not willing to do so."

In the final year of a three-year, $4 million contract, Gadsden is seeking more than the five-year, $9 million deal that Miami gave to free agent receiver James McKnight in 2001. Todd told the newspaper that the Dolphins offered Gadsden a shorter deal worth $1.1 million less annually than McKnight received.

An asset to the passing game because of his long arms, the 6-2 Gadsden has 16 catches for 228 yards this season, including a spectacular one-handed grab against the New York Jets.

Signed by Miami as an unheralded free agent in 1998 after playing in the Arena League, Gadsden ranks in the top-10 on franchise history in catches (223), receiving yards (3,204) and touchdowns (22).

The Dolphins (5-1) are tied with San Diego for the best record in the AFC, but will be without quarterback Jay Fiedler for at least the next month with a broken thumb.