Jerry Jones: Michael Sam Has 'a Long Way to Go'

Jerry Jones sees potential in the team’s latest pass-rushing acquisition. But the Cowboys owner believes that Michael Sam has work to do if he wants to graduate from the taxi squad to the game-day roster.

“He’s a pass-rusher,” the outspoken owner told Dallas’s 105.3 The Fan on Friday. “He has a lot to go when he comes to working in space or a lot to go when it comes to special teams. It’s hard to be just a situational pass-rusher if you can’t be a special teams player, so he’s got a long way to go. He’s in a good place.”

Jones addressed Sam’s athletic deficiencies. He raised the names of Charles Haley and Terrell Suggs as players who didn’t wow the stopwatch but nevertheless sacked quarterbacks. He said those players had a “knack” for grounding passers. 

Sam led the SEC with 11.5 sacks last season and brought down quarterbacks three times in the preseason.