Dolphins camp setup: More questions than answers

DAVIE, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins open training camp on July 26 (rookies reported July 18, veterans report on July 25), and in what has become typical Dolphins fashion there are more questions than answers. The good news is quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has missed the last 19 regular-season games with left knee injuries, is healthy and won't be limited. And the running backs, wide receivers, defensive ends and safeties, which all received offseason help, seem capable. Offensive line, which got an overhaul of sorts with two new starters, should be slightly improved. That's not bad. But dig deeper. Linebacker, where Raekwon McMillan starts in the middle and Kiko Alonso and Stephone Anthony start on the outside, is the biggest concern. McMillan missed his rookie season with a knee injury, Alonso was just so-so last year, and Anthony only played sparingly. This crew struggled last year and things don't seem much better entering camp. Defensive tackle, where Miami must make up for the loss of Ndamukong Suh, is also a major question. Jordan Phillips and Akeem Spence, the projected starters, are adequate, at best. And the same goes for tight end where a pair of rookies -- second-round pick Mike Gesicki and fourth-round pick Durham Smythe -- are expected to be the mainstays. Cornerback has bodies among slot Bobby McCain and boundaries Xavien Howard, Cordrea Tankersley and Tony Lippett, but only McCain is proven. Now you start to understand why there are doubts. But it goes further. Miami had significant personnel losses among Suh, center Mike Pouncey and wide receiver Jarvis Landry and making up for those absences won't be easy. They had a combined 11 Pro Bowl appearances and each made all 16 starts last season. If everything goes right for head coach Adam Gase, who has a .500 record through two seasons, this could be a team that contends for a wild-card spot. "We're gelling pretty good," Gase said after offseason workouts. "They like to practice against each other, they like playing together. You can tell there's a lot of energy out there. I think that's really one of the things that's going to be improvement for us. We kind of lost that a little bit last year. This year we're looking like we're headed in the right direction." However, if things go as many expect this training camp could be the predecessor to a second consecutive 6-10 season.