Jeff Fisher: Michael Sam “has the ability to play in this league”

Michael Sam did not make the St. Louis Rams’ roster, but Jeff Fisher said the defensive end proved he can play in the league.

"Michael did a great job here," Fisher said in a conference call with the Cowboys media Wednesday. "He came in and worked really, really hard. We have exceptional depth on the defensive line. It was a numbers thing, and he just didn’t make it. I was honored to give him an opportunity, as I did any other college free agent and late draft choices. Mike did everything he could. Mike has shown that he has the ability to play in this league. He just was not a fit here."

Sam had 11 tackles and three sacks in the preseason after the Rams made him a seventh-round pick, but St. Louis released him during its final cuts. The Rams did not re-sign him to their 10-player practice squad.

Instead, the Cowboys signed Sam to their practice squad a few days later.

"Mike’s not a tweener, as he has been referred to prior to the draft and after the draft," Fisher said. "He’s not one of those guys that’s between a defensive end and a linebacker. Mike’s a defensive end. He plays with his hand down. He plays very well. He understands things. He can get off blocks. There was a lot of talk with respect to his ability to play special teams. Very few defensive ends in the league play special teams. He’s not a linebacker that you would expect to play special teams. He’s a defensive end. I thought Mike got better. Mike and I talked when he left the building. Mike is a much better player when he left than when he got here, and he was an outstanding college football player that we drafted."

This story was originally published September 17, 2014 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Jeff Fisher: Michael Sam “has the ability to play in this league”."