Michael Sam ran 4.99 40-yard dash at veterans combine

Free agent defensive end Michael Sam ran a 4.99 40-yard dash at the NFL veterans combine last weekend, according to ESPN.com.

Sam, who was a member of the Dallas Cowboys' the practice squad last year, clocked in at 4.91 at the rookie combine last spring. He was a seventh-round draft choice by the St. Louis Ram but was among the final set of preseason roster cuts.

Sam was one of 105 veterans invited to work out at the event. He has been out of the NFL since Dallas released him from its practice squad on Oct. 21.

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Several players at the combine complained that their 40 times were unusually slow, according to SB Nation.

Sam, the first openly gay NFL draft pick, was the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2013. He registered 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss for Missouri.

In four preseason games with St. Louis last year, Sam had 11 tackles and three sacks. 

- Phil Watson