10 Players Guaranteed to Generate the Most Buzz in 2012 NFL Training Camps

Some NFL players attract attention as if they were some sort of magnet.

Entering the 2012 NFL training camps, you don't have to be a genius to know which players will be the most talked about around the league.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where the media flocks toward players with great storylines rather than the greatest athletes, and with this NFL offseason providing one voluminous storyline after another, certain athletes are guaranteed to steal the spotlight.

These are those athletes.

Tim Tebow

What's the NFL without Tim Tebow?

Forgive me, but it's hard for me to remember a time when Tebow didn't dominate the news in the NFL. And though some might be excited about his arrival in New York, it only means that we'll be subject to more Tebow talk.

Every pass Tebow makes with the New York Jets in training camp will be dissected under a microscope and evaluated as if the throw was made in a game-defining moment.

No one generates buzz quite like Tebow, and I'd be willing to bet that no other player has ever been talked about more than Tebow was last season. Though his numbers were mediocre at best, Tebow dominated ESPN's Sports Center and pretty much every other media outlet around.

With Tebow making the transition to one of the most chaotic environments in the NFL, be prepared to hear anything and everything Tebow-related.

Mark Sanchez

There might not be a player in the league that has more pressure on his shoulders than Mark Sanchez.

In his third season, Sanchez only completed 56.7 percent of his passes last season while throwing 26 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Last year was thought to be the season that Sanchez would break out and become the quarterback that the Jets thought they drafted as the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Judging by his numbers and performance on the field, that wasn't the case.

And with Tebow Time arriving in The Big Apple, the pressure mounted on Sanchez's back will be amplified. Knowing this makes New York the place to be for all media members.

So get ready for your daily dose of Tebow and Sanchez, because like a daily soap opera, this storyline is sure to be overly dramatic.

Jonathan Vilma

How can a player not participating in training camp generate so much buzz?

Well, throw in a lawsuit against the NFL commissioner, and you have yourself a winner. Jonathan Vilma might not play a single single down of football in 2012, but he'll be discussed thoroughly for his 16-game suspension appeal.

Vilma filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against NFL commissioner Roger Goodell nearly two weeks ago.

At this point, Bountygate will be a big part of the discussion for weeks and weeks to come simply because of the suspensions to Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove.

And with Vilma taking this to court, all signs point to Bountygate lingering around for quite some time.

Drew Brees

Drew Brees has yet to sign a long-term deal with the New Orleans Saints.

Or should I say, the Saints have yet to lock up the greatest player in its franchise's history. Because of this, Brees might not even show up to training camp, and that's all the Saints need right now is more problems.

As a native close to New Orleans, I can honestly say the city knows best the ole' cliche "when it rains it pours," and right now, nothing seems to be going in the Saints' favor.

The more time that passes without Brees signing a deal, the more panic meters and in-depth discussions will be taking place on various media outlets.

Because of Bountygate, Vilma's appeal and Brees' contract dispute, the Saints, and the Jets, will be the most talked about teams this offseason.

James Harrison

What will James Harrison do next?

Last offseason, Harrison targeted Goodell and had some eye-opening quotes. Harrison talked about his boss in a way that only a select few have the gonads to do.

"If (Goodell) was on fire and I had to piss to put him out, I wouldn't do it. I hate him and will never respect him," Harrison said in Men's Journal.

To put it simply, Harrison is a ticking time-bomb. With Goodell giving out such a harsh punishment to Vilma, Harrison has publicly backed Vilma without crossing the line, for now.

It's only a matter of time before Harrison calls out his boss this offseason.

Andrew Luck

And thus the Andrew Luck era begins.

Since his stellar year in 2010 at Stanford, Luck's been groomed and prepped as the greatest prospect of all time, and now, it's time to live up to the hype.

Luck had an unbelievable amount of pressure on him in college because of the hype that surrounded him. In his senior season, Luck completed 71 percent of his passes, threw for 3,517 yards and had 37 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

There will be unrealistic expectations for Luck in his rookie season simply because the Indianapolis Colts chose him over one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Peyton Manning.

The worldwide leaders over there at ESPN will remind you of this daily during training camp.

Peyton Manning

Speak of the devil. Just like his career in Indianapolis, Luck will most likely be overshadowed by Manning this offseason.

Everyone wants to know if Manning is 100 percent. Will he be the old Manning that picks apart defenses for years as a Colt or will he be a washed up version following his neck surgeries?

This is already a major storyline heading into the 2012 season, but as the season continues to draw near,  fans will anxiously be awaiting to see if Manning is still in fact Manning.

The last time we saw him he was throwing for 4,700 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2010. He was still among the elite quarterbacks in the league, but Father Time hasn't done Manning any favors recently.

Every twitch, head turn and throwing motion Manning does in training camp will be heavily reported.

Calvin Johnson

Is Calvin Johnson good enough to avoid the Madden Curse?

Perhaps the best wide receiver in the league, no scratch that, the best wide receiver in the league will grace the cover of Madden, and we all know what follows suit.

Peyton Hillis was the latest victim of the Madden Curse a year ago, and he had 587 rushing yards and three touchdowns to show for it. Heck, most of you have probably already forgotten who Hillis is because of his performance a year ago.

But if Johnson is as good as everyone says he is (he is that good), will he be able to avoid it? Look for this to be yet another storyline added to an already hefty laundry list of stories through the summer.

In a league that's nearly driven by fantasy football, Johnson avoiding injuries in training camp will generate a lot of attention.

Ryan Tannehill

Ryan Tannehill will have the unfortunate task of living up to a hype created by scouts and the media.

No one thought Tannehill would become such a large discussion before the 2012 NFL draft, but in a league that offers multiple curveballs, nothing should come as a surprise anymore.

Just like Luck, Tannehill will be placed under a microscope in Miami with the Dolphins and because of the hype surrounding him, fans won't offer a lot of patience.

Entering training camp, Tannehill needs to avoid adding further reason to put the spotlight on himself. But even that won't spare the rookie from being a hot topic this summer.

The fact that the Dolphins will be doing HBO's "Hard Knocks" won't help either.

LeGarrette Blount

Who will LeGarrette Blount punch this offseason?

Fair or not, Blount has created this perception around him that he punches football players, and they don't have to be on the opposing team to get punched either.

When Blount was a rookie with the Tennessee Titans in 2010, Blount punched defensive end Eric Bakhtiari in the helmet.

And of course, who could forget the time Blount punched Boise State's Byron Hout when he was with Oregon?

With the Tampa Bay Bucs drafting Doug Martin in the first round, sharing reps might anger the beast. And if his past is any indication of the future, you won't like Blount when he's angry.