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          The NFL is back: What you need to know from every training camp

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          Schefter: Saints hope to make Thomas highest-paid WR (0:41)

          Adam Schefter reports the Saints want to agree to a contract with Michael Thomas making him the highest-paid receiver, but he is unsure when the deal will get done. (0:41)

          • ESPN.com
          Jul 25, 2019, 03:35 PM ET

          NFL training camps have officially begun -- and so have the holdouts. So far, five players are not with their teams due to unhappiness with their situations.

          Elsewhere in the NFL: A Bears running back honors Walter Payton on what would have been his 65th birthday; a Ravens defender went on a diet to get ready for camp; and the Dolphins' quarterback battle has begun.

          Here's what you need to know from camps across the league:

          Jump to the best of Thursday:
          Photos | Videos | Quotes

          Top news of the day

          Top stories: Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott and Saints WR Michael Thomas are no-shows.

          • Elliott is not on the plane to Los Angeles with the majority of Dallas teammates and coaches for the start of training camp in Oxnard, California, according to multiple sources. That does not yet mean Elliott is a no-show for training camp. Players have to be at the team's River Ridge Residence Inn setup by Friday morning in time for physicals and a conditioning test before they are considered late for camp and subject to a fine.

          • Thomas has not reported to New Orleans' training camp as the two sides continue to negotiate a long-term contract extension, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Saints veterans were scheduled to report to camp Thursday, with the first practice scheduled for Friday. Thomas, who is due to make $1.148 million in the final year of his rookie contract, is subject to a maximum fine of $40,000 per day for missing camp.

          More:

          Best photos

          And it begins ... A training tradition for all ages in Green Bay.

          Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer5y ago

          Jaguars coach Doug Marrone just happens to share a birthday with ... Jalen Ramsey's daughter Breelyn. Both spent their birthday at the Jaguars' first training camp practice on Thursday, after which Ramsey got a visit from Deion Sanders.

          Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff Writer5y ago

          Best videos

          Tom Brady's arrival for Day 1 of practice.

          Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer5y ago

          Odell Beckham Jr. takes the Browns training camp field to "OBJ" chants

          Jake Trotter, ESPN Senior Writer5y ago

          Quotes of the day

          "Next question." Lions cornerback Darius Slay, when asked about his contract situation and why he didn't show up to the spring workouts. Slay, who is under contract through 2020, repeated it six times in total.
          "I can tell you unequivocally that we want [Jadeveon Clowney] here. ... The sooner the better. We want him." Texans coach Bill O'Brien, when asked about Clowney not reporting for camp after not signing the franchise tag.
          "I traveled with the scale. That was the thing. I ate a lot of seafood." Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce, who lost more than 20 pounds in five weeks in order to be ready for the first day of camp.

          Best of the rest from camp

          Panthers. coach Ron Rivera was impressed with how well Cam Newton threw in his first practice of camp. From everything doctors have told him Newton is ready to go. Quarterbacks coach Scott Turner says Newton is ‘'healthy and ready to go." Threw close to 40 passes in team drills.

          David Newton, ESPN Staff Writer5y ago

          It's just Day 1 of training camp but the start of Dolphins QB battle today looked just like it did in the spring: Ryan Fitzpatrick being the best QB on the field. Josh Rosen had a rough start, which he admitted after practice, including a bad INT but he improved as the session went on. Fitzpatrick was consistent throughout practice. Expect this battle to continue deep into the preseason.

          Cameron Wolfe, ESPN Staff Writer5y ago

          Quarterback Dwayne Haskins was third in the rotation behind Case Keenum and Colt McCoy. But Haskins did get to work with the first line at times. He looked like he knew where to go but his accuracy at times was inconsistent, especially on throws to the flat. However, Haskins worked after practice with running back Derrius Guice, throwing him passes out of the gun.

          John Keim, ESPN Staff Writer5y ago

          All signs of late have pointed to Bobby Wagner and the Seahawks agreeing to an extension soon. The latest came from K.J. Wright, Wagner's closest friend on the team, who said he believes it's imminent. But with no deal done yet, Wagner was a spectator for the first practice of training camp as he was for all the offseason program. Interestingly, he was not wearing his jersey Thursday but instead an inside-out sweatshirt that showed no team branding. Asked if he senses frustration on Wagner's part, Wright said: "No, I don't think he's frustrated. I believe that something will happen and I'm pretty positive. The organization knows what he means to us and it's kind of, like I said back in OTAs, a no-brainer to get it done." Asked if he gets the impression that a deal is close, Wright answered "yes." Pete Carroll confirmed the team has been talking with Wagner but wouldn't comment on how close the two sides are.

          Brady Henderson, ESPN5y ago