Michael Sam in St. Louis preseason games

[ABQCOWBOY]

I was more impressed with Westbrooks than Sam.

BTW, people keep saying Sam wasn't kept by the Rams because Rams already had a too many good Dlinemen yet Westbrooks made the team as a UDFA. It seems like Sam's main competition was Westbrooks and Westbrooks came out of head. I was hoping they cut Westbrooks instead.

I loved Ethan Westbrook coming out of Left Texas A&M. He, IMO, was much more productive but at a lower level obviously. The think about Westbrook is that he plays STs. That's why he made the squad and Sam didn't IMO.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The think about Westbrook is that he plays STs. That's why he made the squad and Sam didn't IMO.

Exactamundo.

 

[itsaboat]

excellent way to post about the signing.
end of the day it is about performance and nothing else.

Sam is insanely strong in his lower body and can hold at the point of attack.
That surprised me. He had little or no trouble going against 2nd team RT's and doing it.

He lacks the upper body strength to toss aside blockers though.
Agreed. He can't get off blocks.

He is an effort guy who will plow through defenders and get sacks.
Agree with the first part but I didn't see him plow through any one. I saw him doing his best work when he was able to use speed.

He doesn't display elite quickness and lacks height off the edge for batting down balls.
Agreed.

Does have very long arms for his height.
Agreed. I think they are 33.5"

Probably is best as a 275 pound 1st or 2nd down RDE that moves to SDE for passing situations.
If he can get stronger I can see that.

Early in his career many only be able to play as a SDE on pass rushing downs.
He looked lost at RDE in the one series he played it.

Has enough pass rush acumen to keep RTs honest.
He did it against 2nd team RTs. He had a few plays against Z.Strief of NO and couldn't do anything. Granted, Strief is a very good player.

His college production wasn't a mirage.

His effort and overall level of play was quite high.
He has a good motor and doesn't quit on plays.

He will be best next to a pass rushing demon at 3 that draws double teams.
Wouldn't any DE?

Probably a round 4-5 grade as a prospect if there was no stigma associated with him.
I don't see it but I'd love it if he proves me wrong.

Needs to gain upper body strength and learn some pass rush moves beyond a bull rush.
With 15 pounds of muscle added over a couple of years could become a Pro Bowl SDE. But that's the ceiling.

His biggest asset is you do not have to worry about him playing hard.
Agreed.

As a coach that's the best thing you could say to me about any of my players.

 

[Tobal]

I think this is a football move. We have no pass rush and this guy is better than most of the pile of dung left. Jerry would have drafted him if he was trying for that type of publicity.

 

[jterrell]

Sam is insanely strong in his lower body and can hold at the point of attack.
That surprised me. He had little or no trouble going against 2nd team RT's and doing it.

He lacks the upper body strength to toss aside blockers though.
Agreed. He can't get off blocks.

He is an effort guy who will plow through defenders and get sacks.
Agree with the first part but I didn't see him plow through any one. I saw him doing his best work when he was able to use speed.

He doesn't display elite quickness and lacks height off the edge for batting down balls.
Agreed.

Does have very long arms for his height.
Agreed. I think they are 33.5"

Probably is best as a 275 pound 1st or 2nd down RDE that moves to SDE for passing situations.
If he can get stronger I can see that.

Early in his career many only be able to play as a SDE on pass rushing downs.
He looked lost at RDE in the one series he played it.

Has enough pass rush acumen to keep RTs honest.
He did it against 2nd team RTs. He had a few plays against Z.Strief of NO and couldn't do anything. Granted, Strief is a very good player.

His college production wasn't a mirage.

His effort and overall level of play was quite high.
He has a good motor and doesn't quit on plays.

He will be best next to a pass rushing demon at 3 that draws double teams.
Wouldn't any DE?

Probably a round 4-5 grade as a prospect if there was no stigma associated with him.
I don't see it but I'd love it if he proves me wrong.

Needs to gain upper body strength and learn some pass rush moves beyond a bull rush.
With 15 pounds of muscle added over a couple of years could become a Pro Bowl SDE. But that's the ceiling.

His biggest asset is you do not have to worry about him playing hard.
Agreed.

As a coach that's the best thing you could say to me about any of my players.

Plowing through RTs was meant more as a statement on his consistent effort, lane containment and lack of technique than a description of some reggie white-esque bull rush.
Can see how that was unclear on my part.

His speed is the same as Goerge Selvie so yea he isn't elite there but hardly poor by DE standards. Because he plays hard his speed is impressive closing on QBs(even a very quick Manziel).

Mentioned his fit next to a pass rushing 3 because he is a straight-line guy. Likely very effective in stunts and twists with a guy who can loop outside or take his OT's shoulder.

If you look at the 4th and 5th round DL drafted th elast 3 years I think he fits in that group as a rookie prospect.
Ironically we now have two added after cut downs: Lavar Edwards and Jack Crawford.
DE who can grow into roster spots seem to go about that area.
Starting DE are round 1. Rotational rookie DE's are rounds 1-2-3.
You get a rookie DE playing major minutes you've scored a draft coup.
Quite possibly the most overdrafted position in football.

 

[rags747]

Maybe we should reach out to Greg Ellis...

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Maybe we should reach out to Greg Ellis...

What about him AND Ekuban

 

[TwoCentPlain]

...However none of OUR opinions matter to the FO who is the ones who will decide if Sam plays on this team or not.

Just a hunch but I think some in the Front Office take a peak at this site quite often. Why wouldn't they? If you were in the FO, wouldn't you take a peak at Cowboy blogs/boards even if it were just for kicks and grins? There is a lot of good opinions here in my opinion. It is pretty easy to filter out the nonsense and lunacy. Overall, I think this board has some good football knowledge on the state of the Cowboys.

Now, why the Cowboys refused to listen to me about the foolishness of keeping a FB over WR Byrd is beyond me.

I also thoroughly enjoyed Broadus coming here and beating down some poster who was talking out of his rear end. That was hilarious. If Broadus is here (on occasion), I suspect others in the FO are here as guests or incognito too.

If I were a betting man, I would venture a guess that Stephen Jones comes here every once in a while. Just a hunch, nothing to go on.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Just a hunch but I think some in the Front Office take a peak at this site quite often. Why wouldn't they? If you were in the FO, wouldn't you take a peak at Cowboy blogs/boards even if it were just for kicks and grins? There is a lot of good opinions here in my opinion. It is pretty easy to filter out the nonsense and lunacy. Overall, I think this board has some good football knowledge on the state of the Cowboys.

Now, why the Cowboys refused to listen to me about the foolishness of keeping a FB over WR Byrd is beyond me.

I also thoroughly enjoyed Broadus coming here and beating down some poster who was talking out of his rear end. That was hilarious. If Broadus is here (on occasion), I suspect others in the FO are here as guests or incognito too.

If I were a betting man, I would venture a guess that Stephen Jones comes here every once in a while. Just a hunch, nothing to go on.

I think a few years ago i believe they contacted some message boards to gauge interest in becoming the official cowboys message board...other than that I have no information pro or con that anyone from the Cowboys FO has visited site.

I do know various members of the Dallas Media has visited this site...I few of them have posted as well.

 

[TheCount]

Pass!!! Next churn please.
I think this move is a "Jerry Special" all the way.
He's forcing this down Garrett's throat cause the coaches and scouts say no way he fits here...

This is literally the first time I've ever heard people say no to signing a guy on the practice squad.

We talkin' about practice squad. Not a game, not a game, not a game. We talkin' about practice squad. What are we talkin' about?! Practice squad? We talkin' about practice squad, man!

 

[B Smooth]

You guys seem to have incredibly high standards for him for some reason. If he can hold the point of attack and not get blown off the ball while getting a few pressures a game, he is better than a lot of the guys that have started for the this team over the years. Get over all the other stuff and just cross your fingers that he can just stop the run. I keep hearing so many false arguments...Has Spencer or Greg Ellis ever played special teams. If this guy is Greg Ellis or Ekubahn or Selvie, its an absolute steal.

 

[big dog cowboy]

What about him AND Ekuban

Why stop there? Get Carver also!

 

[Doomsday101]

I am really Stephen Jones, now I'm off to get my lap dance see you people later. LOL

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Why stop there? Get Carver also!

Now you are stepping over the line Mister. <cue ominous music>

 

[lostar2009]

If Sam plays one down for the Cowboys then all the arguing, craziness will be moot because the Cowboys will have admitted that he was better then most of the street free agents that they brought in.

I'm laughing here because the Cowboys have so many guys who probably don't even belong on an NFL squad and everyone is going crazy over someone who is not yet on the 53 man roster.

Nick Hayden - is there an explanation necessary
Terrell McClain - 1 career sack
Rolondo McClain - retired twice from the NFL and he was traded for a 6th round pick.
The two defensive ends that were referenced already.
Jeff Heath
Tyler Patmon
Sterling Moore

I could go on, but what is the point. It's hilarious!!

What's one more scrub before we redo the dline next year.

 

[Zman5]

You guys seem to have incredibly high standards for him for some reason. If he can hold the point of attack and not get blown off the ball while getting a few pressures a game, he is better than a lot of the guys that have started for the this team over the years. Get over all the other stuff and just cross your fingers that he can just stop the run. I keep hearing so many false arguments...Has Spencer or Greg Ellis ever played special teams. If this guy is Greg Ellis or Ekubahn or Selvie, its an absolute steal.

What about him AND Ekuban

Let's also add Shante Carver and Kavika Pittman and get the band back together.

 

[DFWJC]

Sam played in about nine quarters in four preseason games (3 v NO, 2 v GB, 1 v CLE, and 4 v MIA). I counted 2 sacks and 3 pressures. Here are the sacks:

• SACK 1 (gif)
  
• SACK 2 (gif)

Both sacks came in the 4th quarter when it was 3rd down and forever (19 & 21 respectively). Flynn tried getting away but Sam closed the distance quickly. Manziel was locked in on his receiver and he got blindsided. Two of his pressures were because he was not blocked. The other pressure, Sam got by a block with speed.

.

So both sacks were most likely vs players that were 3rd or even 4th string....and quite possibly not even on a NFL roster now.

I'm glad we're giving him a shot, but some folks around here need to tone down the expectations.

 

[Derekmtl85]

So both sacks were most likely vs players that were 3rd or even 4th string....and quite possibly not even on a NFL roster now.

I'm glad we're giving him a shot, but some folks around here need to tone down the expectations.

What expectations? There's 2 groups of people. 1 that bashes him and don't want him (some have valid reasons, others don't) and the other group just wants to see him get a shot because our d-line is so bad.

 

[DFWJC]

What expectations? There's 2 groups of people. 1 that bashes him and don't want him (some have valid reasons, others don't) and the other group just wants to see him get a shot because our d-line is so bad.

I'm closer to the latter group, but I think you have missed the several posters who think he should go directly to the 53 and bump one of our current DEs.
One guy even says we are a trash organization if he's not starting soon.

 

[Derekmtl85]

I'm closer to the latter group, but I think you have missed the several posters who think he should go directly to the 53 and bump one of our current DEs.
One guy even says we are a trash organization if he's not starting soon.

Fair enough, but there's always going to be 1-2-3 people on a forum who are crazy.