IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Michael Sam got caught up in a numbers' game along the defensive line, which led to his release from the practice squad on Tuesday.
Second-round pick DeMarcus Lawrence will be eligible to play Nov. 2 after his run on short-term injured reserve comes to an end because of a broken foot suffered in training camp. Defensive end Amobi Okoye is expected to practice Thursday for the first time as he returns from anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.
The Cowboys also wanted to re-sign Ken Bishop, who cleared waivers on Monday after his release over the week, to the practice squad. He played in three of the first six games and was one of their seventh-round picks.
The Cowboys have 10 defensive linemen on the active roster and two on the practice squad in Bishop and Kenneth Boatright.
"You've got to be careful on the practice roster of having too many of one position because you have to function in practice," Garrett said. "We have a lot of defensive linemen and we have more coming."
Garrett and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli praised Sam's work ethic in practice, but the Cowboys never seriously considered calling him up to the active roster despite just recording seven sacks in the first seven games.
The Cowboys are banking on Lawrence to provide a spark to the pass rush, as well as Anthony Spencer, who has played in the last four games as he works his way back from microfracture surgery on his left knee.
