Michael Sam to Join the Dallas Cowboys

Michael Sam may have been dumped by the Rams, but now it's looking like he'll get to be a Cowboy.

The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly bringing Sam to Dallas for a physical, with the intention of signing him to their practice squad. This would essentially make him the first openly gay member of a regular-season team. Interestingly enough, the Cowboys just so happened to be Sam's favorite team as a kid growing up in Texas.

Of course, Sam's spot on the starting lineup is in no way guaranteed, but the fact of the matter is that there are far more openings in the Cowboys lineup than with the Rams. Cyd Zeigler of Outsports explains:

The Cowboys were always a potential great fit for Sam on the field. They currently have five defensive ends on the active roster, the fifth of which is Lavar Edwards whom they acquired in a trade from Tennessee this weekend. They also have DE Kenneth Boatright on the practice squad. Edwards graded out at -1.7 by Pro Football Focus in the preseason; Sam graded at +0.6.

Tyrone Crawford, a backup defensive end on the squad, spent last season on injured reserve.

These spots are all up for grabs for a guy like Sam, meaning there are far more opportunities to make the active roster with the Cowboys than existed with the D'line-heavy Rams.

Beyond providing a shakeup to the Cowboys' defensive line, Sam's signing could also cause reverberations through the Dallas community. Texas is often held as an example of the nation's ingrained biases and homophobia. However, if a team as respected as the Dallas Cowboys doesn't care about a player's sexuality, then maybe it will encourage possible bigots to reconsider their own prejudices. At the very least, it would forward the notion that, in the NFL, what you do off the field matters significantly less than what you do while on it.

In a last little twist, it turns out the Dallas Cowboys will face the St. Louis Rams in week 3 of the regular season, meaning that if the Cowboys give Sam a roster spot, the Rams will have an opportunity to see first-hand just what they let go, in Sam. And that could end up being the sweetest victory of all.

Via: Outsports

Credit: ESPN