Montreal Alouettes have reached out to Michael Sam, who could be an excellent addition, but he may not be ready to come to the CFL just yet

Tim Tebow

, Troy Smith, Chad Johnson and now Michael Sam? The Montreal Alouettes have been linked to more high-profile players than anyone over the last two years, with Tebow declining but Smith and Johnson eventually coming in, and now they're in pursuit of another big name. That would be Sam, who became the first openly-gay player selected in the NFL draft earlier this year, but was cut by the St. Louis Rams Saturday and has since passed through NFL waivers unclaimed. According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, the Alouettes have Sam on their negotiation list and have reached out to him to see if he'd consider the CFL:

If Montreal general manager Jim Popp can convince Sam to head north of the border, he could be a terrific addition to the Alouettes. Sam had an impressive college career at Missouri and was selected as the co-SEC defensive player of the year last season after recording 11.5 sacks, and while some have said he's undersized to be a defensive end in the NFL (he's listed at 6'2'', 261 pounds), he'd fit right in as a CFL defensive end, where speed and mobility matter more than pure size. The league's current sack leaders include John Chick (6'4'', 250), John Bowman (6'3'', 250), Odell Willis (6'2'', 255) and Tristan Okpalaugo (6'6'', 250). Size wouldn't work against Sam at the CFL level, and he's already shown he has great pass-rushing skills, which could help a Montreal team that was just sixth in the league in sacks heading into this weekend's games.

Many have compared Sam to former CFL and current NFL star Cameron Wake (listed at 6'3'', 258), who went undrafted in the NFL after a great career at Penn State thanks to concerns about his size. Wake signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2005, but was quickly cut. He then headed north in 2007 and spent two years dominating the CFL with B.C., leading the league in sacks for two straight seasons (with 16 and 23) and earning the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player nod in 2008. That led him back to the NFL with Miami, where he's turned into a three-time Pro Bowler as both a linebacker and defensive end. Wake's career trajectory definitely could provide some inspiration for Sam if he choses to go the CFL route, and if Sam can play anything near Wake's level, he could be a remarkable CFL player.

Bringing in Sam won't be easy, though. There are still opportunities out there on NFL practice rosters, and those rosters were expanded to 10 men per team this year. That's 320 jobs across the league, and it seems unlikely that all of those teams would pass on someone with Sam's potential. If a practice roster slot becomes open, that may be much more attractive than the CFL. NFL practice rosters currently pay $107,100 if you're on them for the whole season, which is higher than most CFL salaries. The mean CFL salary is $89,285, and what the average player makes is less, as those are boosted upwards by what quarterbacks and other stars make. Moreover, NFL practice rosters are a much more direct path to the NFL itself, and the minimum NFL active roster salary is $420,000, with many players making much more than that. The NFL is a much more desirable place to play from a financial perspective, plus it's one of the highest-profile sports leagues in the world, and so it seems likely that Sam will take any chance he can to stay there.

Beyond that, Sam isn't a lock to wind up in the CFL even if the NFL decides it doesn't want him. There would likely be tons of other lucrative opportunities out there for a player with his profile, potentially including broadcasting or writing. Sam was reportedly in talks with Oprah Winfrey's network for a documentary about his life, and those might pick up again. Still, if the NFL's teams elect not to pick him up and he wants to keep playing football, the CFL might be a great option.

Yes, CFL players made homophobic comments about Sam during the NFL draft and after, but they were quickly punished by their teams and the league (the prinicipal offender, Arland Bruce III, lost his job soon afterwards and hasn't received another CFL deal; he's now suing the league over concussions). The league has made it very clear it's open to all players regardless of their sexual orientation, and it's partnered with You Can Play to promote tolerance in sport. Thus, it looks like Sam would be welcomed north of the border.

The accompanying "media circus" that may have kept some NFL GMs from signing Sam wouldn't be an issue either, especially in Montreal where the Alouettes are already experiencing that with Chad Johnson. They wouldn't sign Johnson or Sam as just a publicity stunt, but they're certainly not opposed to the publicity either. The Alouettes would love to be able to bring in Sam, and they might provide an excellent opportunity for him. The question is if the rest of the NFL will pass on him, and if so, if he'll turn his sights to the CFL.