Report: Cowboys to sign Sam pending physical

Michael Sam could be starting the season on the Cowboys practice squad. (USATSI)

Jerry Jones didn't get Johnny Manziel, but it looks like he's going to get the only other rookie who can equal Manziel in hype: Michael Sam. According to NFL.com, the Cowboys plan on flying Sam to Dallas on Wednesday night to take a physical.

If Sam passes the physical, then the Cowboys will add him to their practice squad.

Sam, the NFL's first openly gay player, made it to the final round of cuts in St. Louis before being released on Saturday when the Rams had to trim their roster down from 75 to 53-players.

The seventh-round pick was one of the final five cuts made by Rams coach Jeff Fisher.

"It was a football decision and it was no different than any other decision that we make," Fisher said after cutting Sam. "It was a football decision back in May to draft Mike. And once again, it's been all about football. I will tell you this: I was pulling for Mike. I really was. I don't say that very often, but Mike came in here and did everything that we asked him to do."

After being released, Sam went through waivers unclaimed, which made him free agent.

Jerry Jones was actually asked about Sam on Tuesday morning, but he declined to speculate on if the team might add him.

"I don't want to talk about available players," Jones told KRLD-FM, via the Dallas Morning News. "Not necessarily a player, but just available players. It's not good strategy. We've got competition out here. We've got a lot of reasons for not talking about maybes."

The Cowboys can use any depth they can get at defensive end. The team lost DeMarcus Ware to free agency and one of the players expected to replace him, DeMarcus Lawrence, was placed on short-term IR on Tuesday with a broken foot.

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Steelers WR Markus Wheaton gets compared to WR Mike Wallace



The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a favorable view on WR Markus Wheaton, comparing him to former Steelers and current Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace. "The split end or 'X' position is the home-run hitter, the long-ball man. Think Mike Wallace. Wheaton does not have that kind of speed, but he's fast enough and seems to be a more accomplished route-runner than Wallace was in his second season."If the comparable measures are true, Wheaton could be in for a big season. Wallace put up some career highs in the same position for four years while playing opposite Antonio Brown.



While I don't think he has the raw talent of Wallace, it wouldn't be surprising if Wheaton went for 1,000 yards and 7-8 touchdowns this year. Wallace did that twice in four season with the Steelers. Wheaton's 12th-round ADP presents a great bargain and plenty of breakout potential.