St. Louis Rams Michael Sam released in final round of roster cuts

  Was not the sexual orientation of Michael Sam or operator "distractions" that led to his departure from the St. Louis Rams on Saturday - were the efforts of a teammate not recruited by a Division II college that Sam pushed the Rams defensive line rotation, considered by many to be the deepest in the NFL. Sam, who was trying to become the first openly gay player in the league to an active list, was selected in the seventh round in 2014 in Missouri after winning the Player SEC Co-Defensive of the Year award in 2013 10.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Some speculated that his coming out affected his draft stock, but Sam does not project well as a pure pass rusher at the next level. He is more of a run-stopping end on the strong side.

And when the Rams signed West Texas A & M Ethan Westbrooks end to a contract as a free agent, things started to get more complicated for Sam. Westbrooks, who had spent two years in junior college before blowing up the Division II and get two catches in the East-West Shrine Game, it just seemed more robust at the point of attack against the run and pass. Westbrooks was better rated 4-3 defensive end Pro Football Focus' through the preseason and a closer look showed his tape to a player who was extremely fast off the pressure and use his strength and agility to plays on a consistent basis. He picked up his second sack of the preseason in the final of St. Louis against the Miami Dolphins, despite the fact that he was twice-is most of the time together.

"It looked like Ethan was making plays every time I looked, but I really do not see anything good or bad about Mike," said the head coach of the Rams, Jeff Fisher after the game. "Let's see the tape. But [Sam] played hard, and he has a lot of plays."

Sam had six tackles in the game. He had lost weight to get faster off the edge, and flashed from time to time, but Westbrooks was a better player and a better choice for the defense of Fisher.

Certainly, the release of Sam had nothing to do with his sexual orientation. When former NFL coach and current analyst Tony Dungy said he would not have drafted Sam because things have not gone entirely smoothly in the locker room of the team, the Rams rushed to defend his player.

"All of us in the draft room were aware of the magnitude of the decision, how it would be a pivot point in history," said general manager Les Snead. "Michael is the first, but somewhere in the future, guess what, he will only be a name for a child in middle school have to memorize. We will not think it's something special because it will be normal . "

Rams COO Kevin Demoff added that "if you're taking a leadership position by drafting Michael, expect that good and evil. We are prepared for it, and I think it will shine through."

Sam said after the Miami game that is sure going to make a list of the NFL somewhere, and that looks like an NFL player you might just have to start as a backup or in the squad practices. But there is a place for him in the NFL, and he finally found.