Michael Sam: 2015 NFL Veteran Combine Results, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

Michael Sam's journey to return to the NFL after going through the rigors of preseason last year with the St. Louis Rams began at Sunday's inaugural veteran combine in Tempe, Arizona.        

The former SEC Defensive Player of the Year was part of a large contingent of non-rookies who worked out in front of scouts from all 32 teams, hoping to get the opportunity to compete for a roster spot.

Per Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Phoenix, Sam's measurables weren't much different from what he posted at the scouting combine in 2014:

At last year's combine, Sam measured in at 261 pounds with a time of 4.91 seconds in the 40-yard dash, per NFL.com. After being away from football since the Dallas Cowboys released him in October, the former Missouri star has clearly maintained his physique and remains eager to prove cynics wrong. 

However, his speed remains a concern, which CBS Sports' Pete Prisco noted before the official 40 times came in:

After his workout, Sam wasn't lacking in confidence about his ability to make an NFL team, per Marc Sessler of NFL.com:

He's not the biggest, fastest or strongest defensive end in the world, so he must bring some defining trait that few others can match. His confidence won't be enough to get him in the NFL on its own, but it's hardly a negative. 

Sam tweeted about how thankful he was to be given another chance to work out in front of teams:

He also expressed his willingness to play in the CFL if it would help him reach his goals, via Sessler:

It turns out there may be something to that line of thinking. Per ESPN's Adam Caplan, some people around the league want to see Sam build up some tape in actual games before making a decision about whether to give him a shot:

Last year, after St. Louis drafted him in the seventh round, Sam put up 11 tackles with three sacks in the preseason before being released during the Rams' final wave of roster cuts. 

At the time, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher felt the team's depth on the defensive line and other needs didn't make him a fit.

"I didn't really see anything good nor bad out of him, but we'll look at the tape. But he played hard, got a lot of snaps," said Fisher, per Sessler. The St. Louis head coach also emphasized that the former Missouri standout "can play in this league."

Sam doesn't need every team to fall in love with his ability as a defensive end. It just takes one to believe he can be a contributor, whether it's on defense and/or special teams, for his opportunity to come. 

The veteran combine provided Sam a new stage to show that he's still ready and able to do the things he showed coming out of Missouri last year. His willingness to possibly try the CFL may provide another stage for him to be an NFL player.