The St. Louis Rams made their final cuts on Saturday afternoon, and defensive end Michael Sam was released, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Sam played well throughout the preseason, highlighted by his sack of Johnny Manziel which almost forced Twitter and the general internet to explode.
Sam entered the 2014 NFL Draft as one of the most intriguing players after becoming the first prospective NFL player to announce he was gay. Sam was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, playing for a Missouri Tigers team that advanced to the SEC Championship game before losing to Auburn.
The Rams selected Sam in the seventh round after he fell down the draft boards, having been projected as a third-to-fifth round pick. Many around the league felt Sam was too slow to play at 3-4 outside linebacker after running a 4.91 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine in February, and too small at 6'2 and 255 pounds to be a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme.
Roster Cuts Tracker
Sam now goes through the process of trying to find another team. Considering the flashes he showed in the preseason, including his six tackles against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday, it is hard to see Sam on the market for an extended period of time.