Hard at WorkHard at Work
Football

Hard at Work

Henry Anderson • DE • New York Jets • Fourth season • @HenryAnderson91

Anderson was traded to the New York Jets in the offseason as he enters the final year of his four-year rookie contract originally signed with Indianapolis.

Johnson Bademosi • CB/ST • Houston Texans • Seventh season • @J_Bademosi24

Bademosi signed a two-year, $6.25 million contract with Houston this past offseason. Entering his seventh season in the league, Bademosi is widely considered one of the elite special teamers in football.

Doug Baldwin • WR • Seattle Seahawks • Eighth season • @DougBaldwinJr

Baldwin enters the second year of a four-year, $46 million extension, but has rarely suited up in training camp with a knee injury. Last season, Baldwin's 1.3 percent drop rate ranked second among receivers who caught 50 or more passes.

Devon Cajuste • WR/TE • Cleveland Browns • First season • @devoncajuste

Cajuste caught both of his targets for 27 yards in his Browns debut, a 20-10 win at the New York Giants.

Alex Carter • CB • Carolina Panthers • Second season • @AlexCarter

Carter signed with Carolina last week after he was released by Seattle. A versatile defensive back, Carter can play at either cornerback or safety with his only NFL experience coming with Detroit in 2016.

David DeCastro • G • Pittsburgh Steelers • Seventh season

DeCastro returns to a solid offensive line in Pittsburgh having made the Pro Bowl for three straight seasons with first-team All-Pro berths in 2015 and 2017.

Zach Ertz • TE • Philadelphia Eagles • Sixth season • @ZErtz_86

Ertz helped Philadelphia win Super Bowl LII in dramatic fashion as he enters the second season of a five-year, $42.5 million contract. One of Carson Wentz's favorite targets, Ertz caught 74 passes for 824 and eight touchdowns in 2017.

Cameron Fleming • T • Dallas Cowboys • Fifth season • @CammyJFresh

Fleming joins Dallas after four seasons in New England. The two-time Super Bowl champion signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract to join a loaded offensive line group which already includes three All-Pros in Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and Travis Frederick.

Josh Garnett • G • San Francisco 49ers • Third season • @IAmJoshG

Limited with a knee injury similar to the one that kept him out all of 2017, Garnett recently re-joined training camp on Aug. 12 and is expected to play this season. He was picked in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by San Francisco.

Ryan Hewitt • TE/FB • Cincinnati Bengals • Fifth season @Huey_85

Hewitt enters the final season of a three-year, $7.5 million contract he signed to become one of the league's highest-paid fullbacks.

Kevin Hogan • QB • Washington Redskins • Third season • @KHoagie8

Hogan joined Washington in the offseason after appearing in eight games with Cleveland in 2017, including one start. He completed 7-of-9 passes for 44 yards in the Redskins' 26-17 loss at New England.

Austin Hooper • TE • Atlanta Falcons • Third season • @AustinHooper18

Hooper looks to build on a strong improvement during his sophomore season, which yielded 49 catches for 526 yards and three touchdowns. Look for Hooper to be one of Matt Ryan's most reliable targets in a prolific offense.

Peter Kalambayi • OLB • Houston Texans • First season • @Kalambayi34

Kalambayi saw 21 defensive snaps in Houston's 17-10 win at Kansas City to open the preseason. He was picked 214th overall in the sixth round of the NFL Draft.

Andrew Luck • QB • Indianapolis Colts • Seventh season • @ALBookClub

Luck's long-awaited return to the field came in a 19-17 win at Seattle, completing 6-of-9 passes for 64 yards. One of the league's best quarterbacks, Luck hasn't seen game action since 2016 but has returned to full practice ahead of 2018.

Blake Martinez • ILB • Green Bay Packers • Third season • @Big__Blake50

Martinez emerged as one of the league's best young middle linebackers in 2017, leading the league with 142 tackles. With Jake Ryan sidelined for the season, Martinez remains an integral part of Green Bay's defense heading into 2018.

Josh Mauro • DE/DL • New York Giants • Fifth season • @JustJoshin90

Mauro joined the New York Giants on a one-year, $880,000 contract after spending four years in Arizona. Last season, Mauro registered 22 tackles and one sack.

Christian McCaffrey • RB • Carolina Panthers • Second season • @CMcCaffrey5

McCaffrey proved his worth in his rookie season, finishing with 1,306 all-purpose yards, including 80 receptions for 651 yards and five touchdowns. He had four carries for 11 yards and one touchdown in Carolina's 28-23 preseason win at Buffalo, catching both of his targets for 29 yards.

Quenton Meeks • CB • Jacksonville Jaguars • First season • @ShowTimeQM

Meeks recorded one pass defended in Jacksonville's 24-20 loss against New Orleans. An undrafted free agent, Meeks faces an uphill battle to make a 53-man roster which includes All-Pro cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye.

Ty Montgomery • RB • Green Bay Packers • Fourth season • @TyMontgomery2

Montgomery looks to bounce back after spending most of 2017 on injured reserve. The former wide receiver-turned running back will be a valuable piece of Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers' offense.

Kyle Murphy • T • Green Bay Packers • Third season • @KyleMurphy78

Murphy sits behind All-Pro David Bakhtiari on Green Bay's depth chart at left tackle after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 3 of 2017. He has two years remaining on his rookie contract.

Trent Murphy • DE/OLB • Buffalo Bills • Fifth season • @TMurphy_93

Murphy netted a three-year, $22.5 million contract with Buffalo after missing 2017 with a knee injury. In 2016, Murphy finished with a career-high nine sacks with the Washington Redskins.

Francis Owusu • WR • Miami Dolphins • First season

Owusu led Miami with four catches for 82 yards in a 26-24 loss against Tampa Bay. He signed a futures contract with the team during the offseason after missing 2017 due to injury.

David Parry • DT • Minnesota Vikings • Fourth season • @DavidParry58

Parry joined Minnesota on a one-year, $630,000 contract after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in his first appearance for New Orleans in 2017. He recorded one tackle and one quarterback hit in a 42-28 win at Denver in preseason Week 1.

Andrus Peat • T/G • New Orleans Saints • Fourth season • @AndrusPeat

Peat is fully recovered from a broken leg suffered in the 2017 season – New Orleans returns all five starting offensive linemen ahead of a backfield which includes Rookie of the Year Alvin Kamara.

Harrison Phillips • DT • Buffalo Bills • First season • @HorribleHarry99

Phillips earned the start in Buffalo's 28-23 loss against Carolina, registering his first unofficial sack in the NFL. Phillips was picked 96th overall in the third round of the NFL Draft, joining a defense that also added former Cardinal Trent Murphy in the offseason.

Justin Reid • S • Houston Texans • First season • @jreid_viii

Picked 68th overall in the third round of the NFL Draft, Reid is battling veteran Kareem Jackson for the starting free safety spot in Houston. In his first NFL action, a 17-10 win at Kansas City, Reid started and recorded one tackle.

Jordan Richards • S • New England Patriots • Fourth season

Richards made three tackles in a 26-17 win against Washington in preseason Week 1. He enters the final year of his rookie contract, having spent all three prior professional seasons in New England.

Brennan Scarlett • OLB • Houston Texans • Third season • @BScarlett17

Scarlett played heavy snaps to end 2017 with Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus sidelined, finishing with 29 tackles and two sacks. He enters the final year of a three-year contract he signed with Houston as a rookie in 2016.

Dalton Schultz • TE • Dallas Cowboys • First season • @BinghamBaller9

Schultz caught one pass for six yards in a 24-21 loss at San Francisco to open the preseason. Schultz, selected 137th overall in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, has a chance for heavy snaps following the retirement of Jason Witten in the offseason.

Richard Sherman • CB • San Francisco 49ers • Eighth season • @R_Sherman25

Sherman returned to the Bay Area after signing a three-year, $39.15 million contract with San Francisco in the offseason. Sherman joins a young position group as not only an All-Pro on the field but an integral leader in the locker room. He continues to nurse an injury from 2017, returning to practice on Aug. 12.

Aziz Shittu • DL • Philadelphia Eagles • Second season • @AzizShittu

Nagging injuries have kept Shittu off the field for two years, having spent 2017 on injured reserve after being on Philadelphia's practice squad in 2017. Shittu's versatility could net him a spot on the defending Super Bowl champions' 53-man roster.  

Michael Thomas • S • New York Giants • Sixth season • @Michael31Thomas

One of the top special teamers in football, Thomas joined the New York Giants on a two-year, $4 million deal. He is competing for a starting spot at nickel cornerback, and will be one of the Giants' leaders on special teams.

Solomon Thomas • DL • San Francisco 49ers • Second season • @SollyThomas90

Thomas finished with 41 tackles, including 10 for loss, and three sacks as a rookie after being picked third overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. He made three tackles, including one half sack, in a 24-21 win over Dallas in the 49ers' preseason opener.

Levine Toilolo • TE • Detroit Lions • Fifth season • @LevineToilolo

Toilolo signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with Detroit in the offseason after spending four seasons in Atlanta. In four seasons with the Falcons, Toilolo compiled 726 receiving yards with eight touchdowns.

Griff Whalen • WR • Oakland Raiders • Sixth season • @GriffWhalen

Whalen joined Oakland on a one-year, $790,000 contract in the offseason. He has seen reps at slot receiver, but is mainly being utilized as a returner in training camp.