Michael Sam - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Michael Sam, Saints, Dolphins

May 22nd, 2015 at 8:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s look at some assorted notes from around the league…

Michael Sam‘s deal with the Montreal Alouettes is for one year, but it does contain an option year for 2016, clarifies Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported earlier that Sam will earn $100K for 2015, and $150K for 16, well above the usual rate for CFL players.
We heard earlier today that the Saints would be making some changes to their personnel department, and Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (Twitter link) confirms the firings have begun, as two area scouts have been let go.
The Dolphins have locked up Ryan Tannehill, Mike Pouncey, and Ndamukong Suh in recent months, but the club’s attitude toward roster-building was forged in 2014, as GM Dennis Hickey explains to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.

Michael Sam Signs With Montreal Alouettes

May 22nd, 2015 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

10:12am: Sam will earn $100K in 2015 and $150K in 2016, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), who notes that this is above the usual rate for CFL rookies ($51K).

9:45am: After failing to catch on with any NFL teams, Michael Sam will head north to the Canadian Football League, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the edge defender is signing with the Montreal Alouettes. The club has since confirmed the move.

“With the signing of Michael Sam, we have become a better organization today,” said Alouettes general manager Jim Popp. “Not only have we added an outstanding football player, we have added even a better person that brings dignity, character, and heart to our team.”

The first openly gay player to be selected in the NFL draft (in 2014), Sam spent time with the Rams but didn’t make the team’s regular season roster, despite recording three sacks during the preseason. While he later joined the Cowboys’ practice squad, Sam didn’t earn a call-up to Dallas’ 53-man roster either, and had been on the free agent market for several months.

According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links), the Alouettes – who held the CFL rights to Sam – have had an offer on the table to the Missouri product for a few months. With training camp around the corner, Sam has opted to sign the deal, which is a one-year pact with a team option for 2016.

FA Notes: Wisniewski, Lowery, Housler, Sam

April 1st, 2015 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

One of the last of our top 50 free agents who is still without a deal, center Stefen Wisniewski has seen his market move slowly in part because he underwent shoulder surgery this offseason to repair a torn labrum. However, things may be picking up for the former Raider.

According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), Wisniewski visited the Patriots earlier this week, and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that the center visited the Jaguars today. There’s no deal with either team in place yet, but it could just be a matter of time until Wisniewski find a new home.

Here’s more on Wisniewski and a few other free agents:

The Vikings could use an interior lineman like Wisniewski, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities says (via Twitter) that Minnesota hasn’t expressed any interest in the veteran free agent.
According to Breer (via Twitter), free agent safety Dwight Lowery visited the Colts this week. The last update on the Lowery front came two weeks ago, when he admitted the Falcons hadn’t shown a ton of interest in re-signing him.
The Bengals are hosting tight end Rob Housler for a free agent visit on Thursday, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Tyler Eifert figures to take on a bigger role for Cincinnati in 2015 if he’s back to full health, but with Jermaine Gresham unlikely to return, the Bengals could use another tight end. Housler has also visited Atlanta and Baltimore, and received a contract offer from the Ravens.
Tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi, who spent time on the Browns‘ and Ravens‘ practice squads in 2014, is visiting the Vikings and Buccaneers this week, according to Wilson.
The Montreal Alouettes hold Michael Sam‘s CFL rights, and general manager Jim Popp told Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette this week that he believes his team has a “50/50” shot at signing the former Rams draftee.

Extra Points: Young, Sam, Cassel, Pats RBs

February 27th, 2015 at 9:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The NFL will hold its first-ever combine for veteran players March 22 in Tempe, Ariz. Like the scouting combine, which takes place every February and is designed for teams to observe draft prospects, the veteran edition will include position drills and physical tests. At least two household names will be among the 100 invitees participating at the combine. Quarterback Vince Young and defensive end Michael Sam will be in attendance, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, respectively.

Young, whom the Titans chose third overall in the 2006 draft, last appeared in an NFL game in 2011 as a member of the Eagles. The one-time Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Texas announced his retirement last June after a disappointing career that included stints with five different organizations. The 31-year-old Young has had a change of heart, though, and will try to return to the league. His attempt at blazing a comeback trail will begin at the combine.

One of the players joining Young will be Sam, 25, the ex-University of Missouri star who has made headlines since last year as the first openly gay player drafted into the NFL. The seventh-round pick of the Rams last April hasn’t yet appeared in an NFL game and hasn’t been a member of a team since the Cowboys released him from their practice squad in October. Although Tom Pelissero of USA Today reported earlier this month that Sam has a one-year contract offer on the table from the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, Sam wrote last week on MMQB.com that, despite ups and downs, he has “remained focused on getting back on an NFL roster.”

Elsewhere around the league…

The Bills were one of two serious contenders for the services of quarterback Josh McCown, who signed with the Browns on Friday. Having lost out on McCown, Buffalo will continue its search for a veteran QB and, per Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo, could turn to the Vikings’ Matt Cassel. Minnesota would save $4.75MM on its 2015 cap by cutting or trading Cassel prior to June 1. The 32-year-old has garnered extensive playing experience (91 games, 71 starts) as a member of three franchises in 10 seasons and, if he ends up with the Bills, could serve as competition for EJ Manuel.
Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reported earlier this month that Patriots running back Shane Vereen was hoping to cash in on the free agent market to the tune of $5MM annually. Vereen laughed off the report via Twitter on Thursday and called it “not true.” Vereen, who will turn 26 next week, has been a useful cog in the Pats’ offense the last couple years, especially as a pass catcher. The former second-round pick has hauled in a combined 99 passes and six touchdowns in 24 games over the previous two seasons. As a runner, he has averaged a solid 4.2 yards per carry, albeit on just 217 attempts, during his four-year career.
Vereen isn’t the only Pats RB looking toward free agency. Stevan Ridley is also on track to hit the market next month. “I’m excited about it,” the 26-year-old told Sirius NFL XM hosts Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan on Friday, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Ridley went on to say that he’d “love” to stay in New England, but acknowledged that signing someplace else could present “more opportunities.” Ridley has averaged 4.3 yards per carry and scored 22 touchdowns in four seasons with the Patriots. His best output was in 2012, when he rushed for the seventh-most yards in the league (1,263) and eight scores.

NFC Notes: Rams, Sam, Packers, Washington

February 9th, 2015 at 11:24am CST by Luke Adams

It has been a little over a month since Rams owner Stan Kroenke announced his plan to build a new NFL stadium in Los Angeles, and it’s inching a little closer to becoming a reality, writes David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. According to Hunn, developers have begun to clear land and lay water lines at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, and the stadium still looks like a go, regardless of whether an NFL team like the Rams is lined up to play in it.

“If you have the most modern, the most beautiful NFL stadium in the world, you’re not going to have any problem populating it,” Inglewood mayor James T. Butts said. “If the NFL wants to migrate here, we would welcome it. But that’s not what this is about. This is ‘Field of Dreams’ stuff. Build it and they will come.”

Here are a few more Monday notes from around the NFC:

Former Rams seventh-rounder Michael Sam has applied for one of approximately 100 spots in the NFL’s inaugural veteran combine later this month, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today. While the former Missouri standout is hoping that leads to an NFL contract offer, Pelissero says Sam has a one-year contract offer from the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes on the table as a fallback option. The 25-year-old spent some time on the Cowboys‘ practice squad last season, but wasn’t active for any regular season games.
Veteran 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari will be leaving San Francisco to join the Packers, reports Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. While it’s not immediately clear what Solari’s role will be in Green Bay, his hiring appears to be part of a larger shake-up to the team’s offensive staff, as we heard yesterday.
The Packers will have to make a decision at quarterback this offseason, with backup signal-callers Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn both eligible for free agency. As Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com writes, the team’s coaching staff likes Tolzien’s potential, but Flynn gives the club a “security-blanket feel.” For his part, Aaron Rodgers would like to see both backups re-signed.
Free agency may offer more problems than solutions for Washington, but the team may still need to dip into the open market to find stopgap options for certain positions, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com.
Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer takes a look at some key issues facing the Panthers this winter, including a possible long-term deal for Cam Newton, finding a solution at left tackle, and adding immediate contributors in the draft.

NFC West Notes: RGIII, Harbaugh, Smith, Sam

December 3rd, 2014 at 6:16pm CST by Zachary Links

As the Rams get set to face Washington, St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher says that he would make 2012’s blockbuster draft trade with the Redskins all over again, writes Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

“If you take into consideration I have three defensive starters that are playing at a real high level – Alec Ogletree is playing as good as any linebacker behind the ball the last few weeks, Janoris [Jenkins] is an outstanding corner who has two interceptions returned for touchdowns, and [defensive tackle Michael] Brockers. And then we were able to pick up [left tackle Greg Robinson], who is our future at left tackle, and we have Stedman Bailey, who in our last game had five catches for 100 yards, and Zac [Stacy] is an outstanding young back. So, I think we’ve made the most of it,” Fisher said on conference call. “We’re building our team to compete in the division and I feel like we’re making strides. That’s one of the questions we wanted to have this year.”

Washington, meanwhile, might feel differently about the haul it gave up to land Robert Griffin III. More from the NFC West..

There’s a chance that 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh ends up at Michigan, but right now his preference is to be in the NFL, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Harbaugh wants to focus only on football, Cole says, and not have to worry about things like boosters and showing his face at events.
When 49ers defensive tackle Justin Smith signed a two-year extension in 2013, he was adamant that he would retire before becoming a part-time player. 18 months later, he’s showing no signs of slowing down, but he was noncommittal when asked if he’d return for his 15th NFL season. “I haven’t given it any thought,” he said, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “It will be something to think about after the season.”
Despite the way things might have looked in a recent TMZ video, former Rams draft pick Michael Sam says that he doesn’t believe that he’s being blackballed from the league, as he explained in a pair of tweets.

Extra Points: Chiefs, Sam, Ravens

November 27th, 2014 at 9:40pm CST by Zachary Links

The football world is abuzz over Jay Gruden‘s decision to bench Robert Griffin III, but the quarterback is taking a diplomatic approach to the situation. “Coach’s decision,” Griffin said when asked about the move, according to John Keim of ESPN.com. “I’m here to help this team win.” This is a lost season for Washington, but the decision to go with Colt McCoy raises all sorts of questions about their future. More from around the NFL..

The Chiefs worked out defensive backs Ellis Lankster, DeMarcus Van Dyke, and Johnny Patrick, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Both Lankster and Patrick are former Jets. Lankster, 27, has 47 NFL games to his credit between 2009-2013. He auditioned for the Lions and Panthers this fall but he has yet to find an NFL home since his release from the Jets in September.
Montreal Alouettes GM Jim Popp said that Michael Sam was close to joining the team with three weeks to go in the CFL season, tweets David William Naylor of TSN. Maggie Hendricks of USA Today identified the Bears and Lions as a couple of clubs that might have interest in the linebacker earlier this month, but no one has signed him since he was dropped from the Cowboys’ practice squad.
The Ravens were smart to listen to Kirk Ferentz when they took a chance and drafted offensive guard Marshal Yanda, writes Childs Walker of The Baltimore Sun. In fact, Walker argues that Yanda is quietly becoming one of the greatest players in Ravens history. “He’s definitely one of the best linemen in the league,” said Steve Palazzolo, a senior analyst for Pro Football Focus. “He can play the power game and maul people but then you see some of the reach blocks he makes, and he moves awfully quickly over a short space.”

Freeman’s Latest: Giants, Welker, Sam

November 5th, 2014 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tackles a number of issues and topics around the NFL in his latest 10-Point Stance column, opening with a look at red-hot Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and also discussing Rob Gronkowski and Andrew Luck, among others. Here are a few of the more interesting tidbits from Freeman’s piece:

Expect “heads to roll” if the Giants don’t make the playoffs this year, according to Freeman. Across the NFL, there’s speculation that New York’s front office could undergo changes if the team misses out on the postseason, and head coach Tom Coughlin‘s job would likely be in jeopardy as well. There are only six teams in the NFC currently above .500, so the 3-5 Giants aren’t totally out of the hunt yet, but they’re slipping out of contention, and personnel men around the league are bracing for the club to make “fairly substantial changes” in the offseason.
Several former Patriots teammates of Wes Welker asked about the Broncos wideout after Sunday’s game, and were concerned about his health. According to Freeman, there are “a lot of people close to Welker” who would like to see him walk away from football soon for the sake of his long-term health.
Passing along data compiled by Cyd Zeigler of Outsports.com, Freeman suggests that Michael Sam‘s sexuality seems to be playing a part in his inability to land even a spot on a practice squad. Sam doesn’t appear to be drawing serious interest from any NFL teams at this point, and while no personnel execs will say the defensive end’s sexuality is a factor, the fact that he can’t find a job is virtually unprecedented for a player with his college resumé.
Following up on reports by ESPN’s Britt McHenry and the Washington Post’s Jason Reid, Freeman indicates that Washington “is a mess,” as much as the club may try to deny it. The Bleacher Report scribe points to a leadership vacuum that needs to be addressed.

North Notes: Peterson, Little, Browns

November 4th, 2014 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has officially accepted a no-contest plea, meaning he’ll be placed on probation, will pay a $4K fine, and will be subject to 80 hours of community service. It also means that the legal process for his case has concluded, so the Vikings and the NFL will have to decide on the next step for the embattled running back.

The NFL doesn’t seem to be rushing a decision, with spokesman Greg Aiello telling Pro Football Talk today that the league will review the court documents and can’t speculate on a timetable for a ruling. Still, that decision should come by next week, when the Vikings return from their Week 10 bye. As ESPN’s Ed Werder observes, the NFLPA “expects that the league will punish Peterson as it would any other player determined to be guilty of a misdemeanor,” which suggests the Vikings star could be back on the field sooner rather than later.

As we wait to see how the Peterson situation plays out, let’s check in on a few more items out of the league’s two North divisions….

For their part, Peterson’s Vikings teammates sound ready to welcome him back with open arms, as Ben Goessling of ESPN.com details.
Wide receiver Greg Little, who was cut by the Browns earlier this year after an up-and-down three years with the team, is looking forward to facing his old team as a member of the Bengals this week, as he tells Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I was coming in to a new coaching staff I was growing towards and they were looking at me to come in and play well,” said the former second-round pick, discussing the end of his time in Cleveland. “I had a great relationship with them and the front office decided to go in another direction. Hopefully I’ll make them pay.”
Asked today by reporters about the possibility of re-signing Josh Cribbs as a return man, Browns GM Ray Farmer didn’t express any interest in the idea, suggesting the team didn’t want to cut anyone on the current roster for a player whose value is exclusively linked to kick and punt returns (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer).
Maggie Hendricks of USA Today identifies the Bears and Lions as a couple clubs that should have some interest in rookie defensive end Michael Sam, who has been a free agent since being dropped from Dallas’ practice squad.

Cowboys Links: Okoye, Sam, Murray

October 24th, 2014 at 12:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Amobi Okoye practiced for the first time yesterday, and the clock has officially begun ticking. The Cowboys have three weeks to decide whether they want to activate the former first-rounder or keep him on the reserve/non-football injury list.

Regardless, practicing was a big step in the right direction for the 27-year-old. Okoye is recovering from anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, a brain condition that causes memory loss and seizures. This resulted in Okoye spending three months in a coma last year. Following such a traumatic experience, the defensive tackle was thrilled to return to the field (via Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com)…

“It was good, it was worth it,” said Okoye. “It was mixed emotions. It felt like it naturally was coming back. I’ve played six years in the league [and], it doesn’t take too long for stuff to come back to you.”

Linebacker Bruce Carter was impressed by his teammate’s determination to return to the game…

“He’s been through a lot,” Carter said. “His story is amazing. A guy like that who works real hard, I see him all the time working [with strength and conditioning coordinator Mike Woicik] one-on-one. Just to see him actually working with [us] and see it pay off is a great thing. I think he’s going to do great things for us.”

Let’s see what else is happening in the Cowboys organization…

Owner Jerry Jones attributed the release of Michael Sam to “a numbers game,” tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com. Jones clarified that Sam was great at practice and worked “very, very hard.”
Members of the Cowboys’ 2013 draft class are already contributing to the team, and Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com points to first-round pick Travis Frederick as the best of the bunch.
The Cowboys have enough money under the cap to fit a veteran, but Archer doesn’t believe the team is going to be active at the trade deadline.
Despite DeMarco Murray‘s hot start to the season, Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News would still move on from the veteran in free agency if the team could draft a stud running back like Georgia’s Todd Gurley. Since the team won’t have that foresight, Sturm believes the team should franchise the running back.