One of the Dolphins' biggest free agent signings of the offseason likely won't be on the field when Miami plays its regular season opener against the Chargers on Sunday.
In what can only be called a bizarre situation, starting linebacker Lawrence Timmons went AWOL from the team on Saturday and wasn't at the team's hotel as recently as Sunday morning, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora has reported.
In the days leading up to the game, the Dolphins didn't get any indication that something might be amiss with Timmons. The linebacker had been with the team over the past week as the Dolphins practiced in Los Angeles. The team spent the week in L.A. after being displaced due to Hurricane Irma.
Although it's not yet clear why Timmons went AWOL, it appears that this wasn't a legal issue. According to the Miami Herald, Timmons wasn't arrested and he hasn't run "afoul" of the law. One thing the Herald did note is that the Dolphins currently know where Timmons is and that he likely won't be playing against the Chargers. Apparently, the Dolphins linebacker got upset about something that may not have even been team-related.
The loss of Timmons is a potential blow to a Dolphins' defensive unit that is expected to have him on the field for Sunday's game. Timmons was slotted in as one of the team's starting linebackers after signing a two-year, $12 million deal with the Dolphins in March.
If Timmons doesn't play in Sunday's game, it would end a streak of 120 consecutive games played. The former Steelers linebacker hasn't missed a game since 2009.
