Sam Released

He would have to pass through waivers then, right? He looks like an NFL player but depth (inc. Westbrook) and lack of versatility hurt’m. He may choose to sign with someone else.

RamBill

Fisher: “We’re starting to game plan to figure out who’s going to be on the 46 and things like that.”

Fisher: “There’s going to be some movement on the roster.”

Fisher: “We’re not going to overreact. We’re going to apply patience to this situation.”

Fisher: “The quarterback position is a position we’re going to address.”

Fisher: “We made football decisions with respect to our draft choices and with respect to our undrafted free agents.”

Fisher on Michael Sam: “He’s a much better player now than he was when he got here.”

Fisher on Michael Sam: “Mike’s got the ability. Mike played well. He has the ability to play some place. It’s got to be the right place.”

Fisher on Ethan Westbrooks: “He was very, very productive in the preseason for us and played all four spots.”

Fisher on the #Rams defensive line: “It’s the strength of our football team.”

Fisher on Michael Sam: “I was pulling for Mike.”

Fisher: “I can’t say that we’re done.”

Fisher: “Some may be coming back, you may see them Sunday on practice squad.”

Chris Mortensen ‏@mortreport

Fisher said cutting Sam was not a difficult decision. Cited roster strength; noted a 6th rounder & all four 7th rounders did not make cut

Fisher says there are no challenges if Sam gets a second opportunity somewhere else. “He just kept his head down and work.” Praised “motor.”

Fisher: “I was pulling for him. It just didn’t work out.”

Listening to Jeff Fisher, I would say Michael Sam is not guaranteed a practice squad spot because of other position needs.

Mackeyser wrote:

Well…shit.

Worse, I couldn’t agree less with keeping 5 TEs. Justice Cunningham??? Ol Stone hands will cost us down the road and people will rush to blame Shaun Hill when Cunningham is really a glorified OL.

And Barrett Jones on the 53??? Wth?

/shrug.

I watched the presser and Fisher clearly was pushing for Sam to make a DIFFERENT team because the way this team is shaping up, our PS likely won’t carry any DEs. Which is a damn shame.

I said that if Sam was cut, no one would pick him up. Well, he’s cut. We’ll see if I was right… 31 teams don’t have better talent than Sam and that’s a fact. Getting ready to see him not be in the NFL… at all.

Which… my brain just can totally see that and can’t imagine that at the same time. Quantum thoughts should not share a brain with one with a headache. Or maybe they cause them.

I dunno…

I don’t think they’re keeping 5 TEs. I don’t know the story yet, there’s a lot of buzz out there. So stay tuned.

I don’t know yet if they’re going to IR Jones.

Several things.

Chase Reynolds is core special teams… one of our best. Teams often carry guys who are ONLY ST guys. I wouldn’t be surprised if he stuck.

Any links for reportage on Rams putting in claims?

Jones and Johnson are in same boat. I think keeping Jones says all that need be said about what Coach Boo thinks of him.

Remember, the Rams ASKED Michael Sam to lose weight in order to be on Special Teams. Then fans ding him for being light. Well, if the Rams wanted a 270lb DE, they had that at the start of OTAs which is what Sam was. Granted he needed to work on his speed a bit, but he also needs to work on his strength a bit. No rookie is a finished product coming into the NFL and Sam is no exception. Problem is that with the current roster breakdown that he fact that the Rams went 2QBs and are carrying Jones and Johnson on the 53 as well as only 5 LBs, I think there won’t be room on the PS for Sam. Fisher made strong allusions to that.

I think Sam won’t make the Rams PS not because the he isn’t good enough but because the Rams will use it as injury backup/development squad and with carrying 2 injured players on the active 53, the PS is just overcrowded… even augmented to 10.

Michael Sam made some good plays but he’s really a one-trick pony where as Westbrooks can be an every down defensive lineman. I could see Westbrooks eventually pushing Chris Long for his job. Long’s been a steady good player for the Rams but Westbooks looks to like he has more talent and ability.

Grits

GreatRamNTheSky wrote:

Michael Sam made some good plays but he’s really a one-trick pony where as Westbrooks can be an every down defensive lineman. I could see Westbrooks eventually pushing Chris Long for his job. Long’s been a steady good player for the Rams but Westbooks looks to like he has more talent and ability.

Grits

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agreed, Grits…and just for everyone’s reading pleasure, here are some more thoughts from off the net on this

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Dick84

A growing number of Americans realize that most gays are like everyone else… Just trying to make their way in the world. They also realize there are still barriers out there for gays that need to be broken through, hence the celebration for Michael Sam being drafted as an openly gay man.

Most of those people also understand that the NFL is a tough game and not everyone is going to cut it.

Fisher’s genuine care for his players overall, and enthusiasm for giving Sam a shot translated well in media… People paying attention could tell it wasnt a gimmick.

Real Rams fans paying attention know Sam can play in this league… But also know Westbrooks beat him out fair & square & Sam is handling it perfectly.

There’s no “controversy” because there is no controversy.

Sam was a football player who wasnt quite good enough for the Rams… But will probably get a shot with another team. Just like any other man in his position.

And that is the beauty of this… He made history for having the courage to come out. The Rams made history by drafting him. They also preserved the integrity of the story by cutting him when he was beaten out by another player.

Sam handling it with class brings a nice close to this particular chapter.

Well done, Rams… Well done Michael Sam.