BY NICK ST. DENIS
The positive is, it's still only June. The negative is, that still won't be enough time.
Center Mike Pouncey, arguably the Miami Dolphins' best offensive player and certainly the leader on the offensive line, underwent hip surgery Monday and will miss at least three months of action, via multiple media reports.
Pouncey sustained a torn labrum during OTAs.
According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who spoke to "two sources close to the situation," a return in the first quarter of the season would be "under the most optimistic of timetables." And since the team has a bye Week 5, a trip to the physically unable to perform list isn't out of the question.
With that, the next likely candidate to start Week 1 at the position is either Sam Brenner or Nate Garner. If anything, at least the pre-training camp injury to Pouncey gives whomever opens the season as the starter ample time to adjust.
Meanwhile, newly acquired running back Knowshon Moreno will likely miss more than a month of activity due to arthroscopic knee surgery. Moreno was acquired as insurance and competition for Lamar Miller, though Miller had been a step ahead in offseason work by most accounts.
