Dolphins camp: Three key goals and top battle

Three goals: --Miami must settle its linebacker position, which is considered the weakest area on the team. Last season it was a costly shortcoming against both the run and pass, and that can't happen again. Miami will start middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan, the 2017 second-round pick who missed his rookie season with a knee injury, as well as outside linebacker Kiko Alonso. The other starter appears to be Stephone Anthony. Third-round pick Jerome Baker, whose strength is coverage, might appear in the nickel. Even if that's the personnel grouping there are many questions about how well they can perform both individually and as a unit. This must be answered during training camp because it's a highly punitive problem in the regular season. --Defensive coordinator Matt Burke must devise a scheme that covers for the loss of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and that won't be easy. Suh, regarded among the league's best run stuffers, can't be replaced by one man. Everyone knows that. So among projected starters Jordan Phillips and Akeem Spence, and a rotation that likely includes Davon Godchaux, Vincent Taylor and defensive end William Hayes, the Dolphins must discover their strength and use it to their advantage. --Sharpening the passing offense is always a priority and among quarterback Ryan Tannehill and wide receivers Kenny Stills, DeVante Parker, Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson, things need to be clicking quickly. If this passing game establishes threats at all three levels -- short, intermediate and deep -- the potential for this unit begins to get very exciting. Top battle: --Tight end. The favorites to emerge are the rookie draftees -- second-round pick Mike Gesicki, the receiver, and fourth-round pick Durham Smythe, the in-line blocker. But veteran returnees MarQueis Gray and A.J. Derby, and free-agent signee Gavin Escobar might have something to say. Gray and Derby are versatile, but neither is especially experienced. Escobar's best days seem to be behind him. It would be a surprise if Miami kept four tight ends, but it would be a bigger surprise, and disappointment, if both draftees didn't emerge from camp as the No. 1 and 2 tight ends.