#StanfordNFL: Training Camp

Thomas Competing for Starting Job
A fan favorite in Miami, Michael Thomas has developed into one of the premier special teamers in the NFL. With the Dolphins bringing in safeties T.J. McDonald and Nate Allen, however, Thomas has his eyes set on the slot cornerback position. "I love playing in the slot; that's where I was born and raised," said Thomas, who is willing to play where his coaches want him. "If Reshad [Jones] goes down, I'll go play safety. If the other safety is down, I'll play that safety. If they want me to go nickel, I'll play nickel."

Garnett to Undergo Surgery
San Francisco's 2016 first-round pick Josh Garnett will be sidelined for several weeks after sustaining a knee injury during the opening week of training camp. Garnett underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Thursday, and head coach Kyle Shanahan iterated that it would "be a battle" for the second-year player to be available for Week 1.

Martinez Shows Growth in Year Two
One of the best run-stopping rookies in the NFL in 2016, Blake Martinez returns for his second year after appearing on 46 percent of defensive snaps last season. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers praised Martinez's work ethic heading into the campaign, with the player listed atop the depth chart next to Jake Ryan at inside linebacker. Look for Martinez to play more snaps in 2017 after nagging injuries limited his action as a rookie.

On defense, Jake Ryan and Blake
Martinez listed as starting ILBs but really Morgan... https://t.co/ufy14985rl pic.twitter.com/DvCYLN2FvA

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 6, 2017

No Return Timetable for Luck
Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano was coy when asked about Andrew Luck's timetable for returning to the field on Wednesday. Having underwent offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder, Luck appears likely to start the season on the sidelines. Colts' general manager Chris Ballard confirmed Luck would not start the season on the PUP list (which would force him to miss the first six weeks of the season), but conceded Luck may not be available for Week 1.  

Ertz Building Chemistry with Wentz
Since entering the league, Zach Ertz has had four starting quarterbacks in as many seasons in Philadelphia. Ertz looks to build off a productive 2016 in which he and rookie quarterback Carson Wentz built up their chemistry. Now entering his fifth season, Ertz has become a key voice in the Eagles' locker room. Look for Ertz to continue his stellar finish to 2016 – from Weeks 9-17, he caught 63 passes for 666 yards and four touchdowns.

McCaffrey Turning Heads
Covering Christian McCaffrey one-on-one is not an easy proposition -- just ask Carolina's elite linebacking unit, made up of four-time All-Pro Luke Kuechly, Pro Bowler Thomas Davis and 2015 first-round pick Shaq Thompson. So far, the eighth overall pick in this year's draft has impressed just about everyone at the Panthers' camp, including Greg Olsen, fellow tailback Jonathan Stewart and the aforementioned Kuechly.  

A cleaner version of what Christian McCaffrey did to Luke Kuechly earlier pic.twitter.com/glWgsh5vL7

— Bill Voth (@PanthersBill) August 2, 2017

Fleener Part of an Elite Offense
Coby Fleener is part of one of the NFL's most prolific offenses, as New Orleans led the NFL in total offense (426.0 yards per game) and passing (317.1 yards per game), with Fleener returning as the third-most productive receiver from last season. He caught at least 50 passes for the fourth season in a row, but feels more comfortable in the offense after the first season of a five-year, $36 million contract he signed with the Saints last offseason.

Gaffney Signs With Jacksonville
Jacksonville signed Tyler Gaffney after offensive lineman Branden Albert announced his retirement. Gaffney, who was picked in the sixth round of the 2014 draft by New England, spent parts of three seasons with the Patriots, collecting two Super Bowl rings in the process. In 49 games at Stanford, Gaffney racked up 2,500 rushing yards (eighth all-time) and set a program record by carrying the ball 45 times in the Cardinal's memorable 26-20 win against previously undefeated Oregon.

Hooper Preparing for Sophomore Surge
After appearing on 47 percent of offensive snaps in 2016 while helping Atlanta to a Super Bowl berth, Austin Hooper looks ready for a larger role in 2017. Reigning NFL MVP Matt Ryan gave Hooper rave reviews after the first week of camp after Hooper spent part of his offseason training with his quarterback in Southern California. With so many weapons on offense, Peter Schrager predicts Atlanta's attack could yet improve from last season, with Hooper, who caught a touchdown in Super Bowl LI, an integral piece of it.

Here is @PSchrags w/ "3 Reasons Why." Today: Why the @AtlantaFalcons offense will be better this season #GMFB pic.twitter.com/3rVHvzUH4f

— GMFB (@gmfb) July 31, 2017

Montgomery Ready for Tailback Role
Ty Montgomery enjoyed a breakout season in 2016, owning Pro Football Focus' highest elusive rating among ball carriers while joining Henry Anderson on PFF's "secret superstar" list. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Montgomery has bulked up to 220 pounds ahead of 2017. Montgomery, who averaged 4.59 yards after contact in 2016, expects to be Green Bay's feature back in Aaron Rodgers' high-octane offense.

Here's my list of 5 RBs set to break out in 2017, including @TyMontgomery2.https://t.co/CGbFEk7kPw pic.twitter.com/lx91p0FReI

— LaDainian Tomlinson (@LT_21) July 26, 2017

Baltimore Signs Whalen
In need of added depth at receiver and in the return game, Baltimore signed veteran Griff Whalen ahead of training camp, which opened on Thursday. Whalen will be reunited with offensive assistant Greg Roman, whom he played under during his time at Stanford. Prior to the start of camp, Whalen spoke of his familiarity with the offense, as well as his willingness to contribute in any way possible.  

WELCOME TO THE FLOCK @GriffWhalen!

The Ravens have signed Veteran WR Griff Whalen. #RavensFlock #RavenNation pic.twitter.com/lrp8UeAduH

— Ravens Nation (@LIVERavenNation) July 21, 2017

Christian McCaffrey Can Do It All
Since being selected eighth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Carolina fans have been raving about McCaffrey's versatility and game-changing talents. Stanford's all-time single-game rushing leader (2016 at California, 284 yards) can do it all, but it is his route running that is catching the eyes of football and Panther fans alike – last season, McCaffrey forced 21 missed tackles as a receiver, third most of any back in the nation.

Rookie RB @CMcCaffrey5 brought #Panthers fans to their feet during his training camp debut

??: https://t.co/h40X3EFLG3 pic.twitter.com/Hvm4i7G3tc

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) July 27, 2017

Anderson a Hidden Gem in Indy
After fully participating in Indianapolis' offseason program, Henry Anderson looks primed for a comeback season after a knee injury derailed his outstanding 2015 rookie campaign and much of 2016. One of the bright spots on a struggling defense, Anderson has proved to be one of the most disruptive defensive lineman in the league when healthy. Pro Football Focus recently rated Anderson as one of the league's "secret superstars."

Little Sunday morning #colts reading for ya on how I believe Henry anderson is key for the defense this seasonhttps://t.co/zo39L7zOuK

— Nick-IndySportsBeat (@indysportsbeat) July 16, 2017

Hewitt Hoping For More Snaps
Entering last season after signing a three-year, $7.5 million extension, it came as a surprise that Hewitt's usage rate dropped from 36 percent in 2015 to 20 percent in 2016. Hewitt played sparingly last season, with Cincinnati often chasing games and deploying a pass-heavy approach. Look for the Bengals to bring back some schemes from 2014, when Hewitt was on the field for 44 percent of offensive snaps, helping fellow rookie Jeremy Hill rush for 1124 yards (5.1 per carry) with nine scores.

DeCastro Part of an Elite Unit
With opposite guard Ramon Foster and center Maurkice Pouncey, DeCastro is part of one of the elite interior line units in the league. One of four starters on Pittsburgh's offensive line under contract through at least 2018, DeCastro inked a five-year, $50 million extension last offseason. For years to come, expect Pittsburgh's line to build off of 2016, in which they helped Steeler ball carriers average 110 rushing yards per game while allowing just 21 sacks.

Starting Spot Up For Grabs in Cleveland
After his release by Philadelphia in September, Ed Reynolds went on to play 505 snaps in Cleveland's final eight games as the starting free safety. Entering training camp, it is rumored that the position is Reynolds' to lose, but a crowded secondary, which includes Jabrill Peppers and recently acquired Jason McCourty, could make for an interesting training camp.

Solomon Thomas Earning Widespread Praise
San Francisco's first-round choice in 2017 and recently photographed training with Warren Sapp, Thomas continues to attract the attention of some of the best defensive linemen to play the game. This comes weeks after attending Von Miller's Pass Rush Summit at Stanford, where he joined the likes of Khalil Mack, Michael Bennett, Vic Beasley, Malik Jackson and Olivier Vernon. Ndamukong Suh was also vocal in his praise for Thomas, who expects to contend for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Add 4x All-Pro Ndamukong Suh to the list of defenders Solomon Thomas has worked with. pic.twitter.com/KBS5nHlBVm

— Dylan DeSimone (@DylanADeSimone) July 3, 2017

Owusu Hopes to Take Chance
An impressive NFL Pro Day on The Farm earned Francis Owusu a shot in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, who inked the wideout to an undrafted free agent contract in the spring. With a 4.35 40-yard dash and 39-inch vertical, Owusu's skill set could make him a future deep threat in the league.

Scarlett Ready to Take Over Role
Brennan Scarlett flew under the radar in 2016 as an undrafted free agent signed by Houston, eventually making the 53-man roster before missing nine games due to injury. He returned to fill in for injured linebacker John Simon, who has since signed with Indianapolis. According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Scarlett is the leading candidate to fill Simon's role on one of the NFL's fiercest defensive fronts.

Brennan Scarlett on heading into year two with the defense. #Texans pic.twitter.com/lqwm7Q4Smg

— patrick (@PatDStat) June 14, 2017

Peat Poised for Breakout Season
Andrus Peat played virtually everywhere on the offensive line throughout his first two seasons in the league, but he looks poised to make the left guard position home in 2017. Many of his Saints teammates have raved about Peat's improvement this offseason, partially due to the certainty of lining up at one position. With the addition of free agent Larry Warford, New Orleans could have one of the better offensive guard tandems in the NFC.

#Saints fans, with injuries already hitting the OL hard, Deuce takes a look at a few plays from Andrus Peat in 2016https://t.co/wsc6gNxjWh

— Canal St. Chronicles (@SaintsCSC) July 17, 2017

Change of Scenery for Carter
The Lions' third-round pick in 2015 spent his rookie season on injured reserve and then spent most of 2016 on the practice squad. Following the 2016 season, Carter was informed he would be moving to safety in an effort to rejuvenate his career.

PERSISTENCE is a mindset. #Focused

— Alex Carter (@AlexCarter) July 19, 2017

Baldwin Shows Loyalty
Entering the first year of the four-year, $46 million contract extension he signed last offseason, Doug Baldwin made it clear to management and fans that he intends to stay in Seattle for the entirety of his career. A former undrafted free agent, Baldwin set career highs in targets (125), receptions (94) and yards (1,128), and was Pro Football Focus' seventh-ranked receiver out of 114 snap-eligible players in 2016.

Training Camp Schedule