Dolphins Suspend LB Lawrence Timmons
The Dolphins announced they have suspended linebacker Lawrence Timmons indefinitely. Timmons went AWOL on the team prior to the Week 2 game against the Chargers. 
It’s not immediately clear whether the team will work with Timmons to facilitate a return. Per the terms of the CBA, Miami can suspend him for up to four games for conduct detrimental to the team. If that happens, the remaining guarantees in the veteran’s contract will void. That would free the Dolphins from the rest of the two-year, $12MM deal he inked in the offseason.
Timmons apparently skipped town to visit the mother of his child in Pennsylvania. He did not notify the team of his plans beforehand, causing the club to file a missing persons report with police.
Until Sunday, Timmons had not missed a game since 2009. It sounds like he’ll be missing several more, unless he can make good with team brass.
Dolphins Have Limited Lawrence Timmons Options
The Dolphins have limited options with linebacker Lawrence Timmons, who left the team on Sunday and forced Miami to file am missing person report, but one avenue could be the left squad list, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. That mechanism would force Timmons’ contract to toll, but only if he doesn’t return to the club within five days of notice, per Beasley. The Dolphins could also suspend Timmons for up to four games for conduct detrimental, a move that would void the remaining guarantees in the veteran defender’s deal, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
Dolphins Called Cops To Find Timmons
- The Dolphins filed a missing persons report on linebacker Lawrence Timmons when he went AWOL on Saturday, according to TMZ. The police found Timmons at LAX on early Sunday morning as he was looking to board a flight to Pennsylvania. At that point, a team employee met him at the airport and traveled with him. TMZ hears that Timmons was going to Pennsylvania to meet with a child of his and her mother.
Dolphins’ Lawrence Timmons Wants To Resume Playing
Lawrence Timmons threw everyone for a loop on Sunday when he left the Dolphins for unknown reasons prior to their game against the Chargers. The good news is that he may be back in action for next week’s contest against the Jets. Timmons is “doing much better today and wants to resume playing immediately” with hope that he will practice this week, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) hears. 
We still don’t know what prompted Timmons to bail on the team, but he’ll meet with doctors on Monday to suss that out, Schefter hears (Twitter link). In a scheduled appearance on a local Miami station Sunday night, agent Drew Rosenhaus declined to shed light on the issue and did not say whether Timmons would be available next Sunday (Twitter link via Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald).
Timmons joined the Dolphins on a two-year, $12MM deal this offseason. Last year with the Steelers, he piled up 114 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two picks and a forced fumble. For what it’s worth, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus weren’t impressed with his work. He placed 70th in overall performance among 87 qualified linebackers.
Sunday’s absence marked Timmons’ first missed game since 2009.
Lawrence Timmons Leaves Dolphins
Dolphins linebacker Lawrence Timmons left the team for unknown reasons and is not expected to play today, as Barry Jackson and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald report.
According to the Herald’s source, something “angered” Timmons and compelled him to leave the team, though the Dolphins do know where he is (Salgeuro tweets that a personal matter is likely at the source of Timmons’ frustration, and not something team-related). The team has declined to comment on the matter for the time being, and Timmons’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he had no information to provide.
Miami signed Timmons to a two-year, $12MM deal this offseason. Timmons had been with the Steelers since being selected by Pittsburgh in the first round of the 2007 draft, and he earned a Pro Bowl bid in 2014. He turned in another solid season in 2016, compiling 114 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions. The veteran had started every regular season game for the Steelers since 2011, and he hasn’t missed a game since 2009, but that streak will come to an end today.
Timmons’ absence will further deplete a linebacker corps that has already lost Koa Misi and Raekwon McMillan for the season, and, to make matters worse, Rey Maualuga will miss today’s game with a hamstring injury. Justin March-Lillard, who was claimed off waivers on Sept. 3, could get the start in Timmons’ place alongside Kiko Alonso and Mike Hull (who will make just his second career start).
We will provide more details as they become available.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports was the first to report that Timmons was not at the team hotel in California
Dolphins Went Hard After Richard Sherman, Could Re-Sign Jay Cutler
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald says Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler has impressed the team with his demeanor and work ethic, and if he plays well this season, Salguero writes that Miami would consider re-signing him and trading Ryan Tannehill, thereby creating a great deal of cap room and netting an early draft choice in the process. We are a long way from that happening, of course, but if Cutler somehow becomes a modern-day Jim Plunkett, Tannehill could be on a different sideline in 2018.
- We recently learned that the Dolphins were interested in trading for Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that Miami went hard after the star DB, making attempts to land him both back early in the free-agency signing period and as recently as last month.
Dolphins Had Interest In Richard Sherman
The Seahawks were known to have discussed cornerback Richard Sherman with the Patriots this offseason, but apparently New England wasn’t the only AFC East club to have inquired on the All Pro defensive back. The Dolphins also asked about Sherman’s availability, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, and while receiver Jarvis Landry was “raised” in talks, there’s no indication Landry was ever formally offered in negotiations.
Miami is no stranger to acquiring former Seattle cornerbacks, as the club picked up Byron Maxwell (after a one-year layover in Philadelphia) last season. But the Dolphins are still weak in the secondary, as second-year pro Xavien Howard and Alterraun Verner are the team’s top options behind Maxwell (Tony Lippett is out for the season, but his injury occurred after any presumptive Sherman talks). Recently, Miami went hard after free agent corner Joe Haden before he signed with the Steelers.
Sherman, who is due base salaries north of $11MM in each of the next two seasons, reportedly requested a trade out of Seattle, and the Seahawks attempted to honor his ask, but discussions seemingly never got serious with any other club. The Patriots were in the Sherman market but ultimately bowed out, possibly because of Seattle’s high asking price (a 2017 first-round pick plus a conditional mid-round choice in 2018).
Landry, meanwhile, has also been mentioned in trade rumors, although the Dolphins have refuted those reports. Scheduled to become a free agent next spring, Landry still hasn’t been offered an extension by Miami, which may prefer fellow wideout DeVante Parker. The franchise tag probably isn’t an option for the 24-year-old Landry, as the $16MM+ tender figure is likely untenable for a receiver who primarily plays in the slot.
Dolphins-Bucs Week 1 Game Postponed
The NFL postponed the Dolphins–Buccaneers‘ Week 1 game until Week 11 due to Hurricane Irma (Twitter link). Both teams had byes that week, making this rare postponement easier. Both south Florida teams will now play 16 straight games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/4/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
- The Browns claimed offensive lineman Zach Banner off waivers from the Colts, who cut him despite drafting him in the fourth round this year. Cleveland made room for Banner by placing offensive lineman Rod Johnson on IR. Additionally, the Browns continued their busy offseason regarding secondary turnover by releasing former safety starter Ed Reynolds from IR.
- The Steelers re-signed linebacker Steven Johnson and waived safety Jordan Dangerfield with an injury designation. Johnson initially saw his name appear on Pittsburgh’s cut list Saturday, but the backup will return. Pittsburgh also placed cornerback Cameron Sutton, a rookie third-rounder, on IR.
- Jacquies Smith will move from the PUP list back to the Buccaneers‘ 53-man roster. The team reinstated the defensive end on Monday. A fourth-year player, Smith is expected to be a rotational player in Tampa Bay this season.
- The Dolphins re-signed tackle Sam Young. Miami cut the offensive lineman on Saturday but will keep him around for now. Miami guaranteed Young’s salary, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets, signing Young this week instead of next because an unspecified team wanted him. This will mark Young’s eighth NFL season. The Dolphins signed him to an extension in December.
- Quarterback Jeff Driskel will land on the Bengals‘ IR list. The former 49ers sixth-rounder has yet to play in a game.
- A starter in three games last season, linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin landed on the Jets‘ IR Monday. To replace the third-year player, Gang Green re-signed linebacker Bruce Carter. Now a seventh-year veteran, Carter played a depth role with the Jets last season.
- Wide receiver Chris Matthews re-signed with the Ravens, who made room on their 53-man roster by placing cornerback Maurice Canady on IR.
- The Falcons released defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman, who resides on the Commissioner’s Exempt list as a result of misdemeanor charges from 2016. While Hageman is on that list, the Falcons will not have to pay Hageman.
- The Chargers claimed linebacker Hayes Pullard off waivers from the Jaguars. A former Browns seventh-rounder in 2015, Pullard started two games for the 2015 Jags and played in all 16 Jacksonville contests last season.
- Jelani Jenkins was expected to start for the Raiders, but the former Dolphins linebacker found himself on the team’s cut list Saturday. The Raiders, though, reached an injury settlement with the fifth-year linebacker, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (on Twitter). Jenkins suffered a groin injury during the preseason. Oakland also reached an injury settlement with Jaydon Mickens, per Gehlken, who adds Mickens suffered an ankle injury.
- The Seahawks waived cornerback Demetrius McCray with an injury settlement, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets.
- The Redskins reached an injury settlement with center Ronald Patrick, waiving the interior blocker from IR as a result.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/4/17
NFL teams began forming their practice squads on Sunday, but they’re tinkering with them today as they will throughout the season. We’ll keep track of Monday’s practice squad moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE MyCole Pruitt, G Will Pericak, LB Zach Vigil
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Sojourn Shelton, G Cole Toner
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB B.J. Bello, OL Travis Averill
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DE Earl Okine
- Cut: DT Derrick Lott
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, OLB/DE Carroll Phillips
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Gabe Wright
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: C Cornelius Edison, OT Cedrick Lang
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Demarcus Ayers
New York Jets
- Signed: CB Terrell Sinkfield, DL Patrick Gamble, OLB Geoff Gray, WR JoJo Natson, OLB Freddie Bishop, RB Marcus Murphy
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: C James Stone, DE Max Valles
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: QB Trevone Boykin, WR David Moore, LB Austin Calitro, OT Jarron Jones
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Zach Pascal
Washington Redskins
- Signed: QB Alek Torgersen, WR Dres Anderson, OL Anthony Fabiano