Michael Sam & Connor Shaw: First Openly Gay Drafted Player Leads Surprise NFL Roster Cuts: St. Louis Rams & Cleveland Browns: Will Rookies Make Rival Practice-Squad?

The 2014/15 NFL season is a matter of days away, and that means its time for roster cuts and heartbreak for some rookies. Two rookies that had earned good reviews, Michael Sam and Connor Shaw, have been cut, and they're now facing their first tough period as an NFL. The rookies can now be assigned to a rival team's practice-squad, but this setback may hurt them more than they'll let on. The St. Louis Rams and Cleveland Browns decided there wasn't enough room for this duo, but will they regret their decisions?

Sam, the first openly gay player to be drafted in the NFL, had a solid preseason, but the Rams evidently believed he'd be a better fit elsewhere, with there being no room on their final 53-man roster. Sam took to Twitter to say "I want to thank the entire Rams organisation and the city of St Louis for giving me this tremendous opportunity and allowing me to show I can play at this level. I look forward to continuing to build on the progress I made here toward a long and successful career. The most worthwhile things in life rarely come easy, this is a lesson I've always known. The journey continues."

Sam could still yet return to the Rams, but it appears unlikely. The same could be said for Shaw, with Cleveland, but it's likely another team will snap him up. Shaw had an impressive preseason, but as fourth choice QB, it was never likely that the Browns were going to keep him around. The talented rookie will be a top signing for a QB-needy NFL team.

Did the Rams and Browns make the right decision in cutting this duo, or will they regret letting the talented rookies leave?