Despite uncertain outlook, Cowboys making headlines heading into season

The Dallas Cowboys will be fortunate to win six games this season, but they still know how to dominate a news cycle. Within a three-hour span Tuesday, it was reported the first openly gay player to be drafted in the NFL would be joining the Cowboys' 10-man practice squad.

Later in the afternoon, defensive tackle Josh Brent was reinstated by the NFL and will be eligible to return to the field Nov. 23 against the New York Giants. Brent was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years' probation after his conviction for intoxication manslaughter.

The Cowboys have stood by Brent in the aftermath of an accident that resulted in the death of his teammate and close friend Jerry Brown Jr. That the Cowboys would welcome Brent back with open arms speaks to their desperate need for help on defense and a sense of misplaced loyalty. As I've stated many times, Brent would be better off getting a fresh start with another organization. His decision to get wasted and then drive his car an estimated 110-mph had tragic consequences. Brent deserves a second chance, but it needed to happen in a place where he could establish a new identity as a player and person.

Sam is a much happier story. Maybe Jerry Jones brought him in to capitalize on his fame. Or perhaps he thought a player who had three sacks and 11 tackles in four preseason games might someday help his sad excuse for a defense. Those are more sacks than the Cowboys' starting defense line amassed this preseason.

I'm not sure why Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was so agitated by questions about Sam on Wednesday. Garrett's smart enough to know how significant Sam's signing is for the organization, but he seemed perturbed that a practice squad player would receive so much attention. I get the feeling that this was much more Jerry's call than Jason's. Fair or not, the league was going to look really bad if Sam didn't end up on a roster. He simply played too well for the Rams not to deserve a chance with another team. Jerry, who has spent much of the offseason pining away for Johnny Manziel, rose to the occasion.

It's silly to think Sam will be a distraction while fulfilling his duties on the practice squad. Those players don't travel with the team and they normally sit in the stands at home games. This really is the perfect opportunity for him because of the lack of talent in front of him. He was asked Wednesday about the criticism that he's too small and slow to succeed in the NFL.

"Did you not watch my preseason?" Sam said. "Did it look like I was slow?"

I think Rams coach Jeff Fisher desperately wanted Sam to make his team. The problem is the Rams had a lot of talented pass-rushers.

"He just plays hard all the time," Fisher told reporters Saturday. "He's smart. I think he's learned to use his hands better, hand placement, and he's gotten better at the pass rush, but the plays he made were effort plays."

The Brent reinstatement feels like part of a Cowboys outreach program. Maybe I'd understand all the fuss over him if he was an outstanding player, but that's not the case. Brent's career is hanging by a thread. Sam's career is hopefully just getting started.

Of the two major news stories Tuesday, Sam's feels much more authentic.