Cleveland Browns Considered Releasing Armonty Bryant After DUI Arrest

Cleveland Browns rookie defensive end Armonty Bryant found himself in trouble with the law once again when he was arrested on DUI charges less than a week after being drafted in the seventh-round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Bryant fell in the draft because of previous character concerns, so the Browns had to seriously consider whether or not they should move forward with the former East Central (Ok.) standout.

The Browns considered ties with the player, who was also arrested in 2012 after selling marijuana to an undercover police officer, but they decided to give him yet another shot in hopes that he could straighten up and help the team on the field.

“We discussed all the options and ultimately decided that we wanted to bring him in and sit down and talk to him, and that’s the process we went through,” coach Rob Chudzinski said Friday, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

“You have to give guys every chance, every opportunity, and I feel really good about the structure that we’ll have around him to give him every chance.  He’ll be evaluated consistently and constantly just like all our players are, and time will tell.”

Bryant will have a fair shot to contribute on the field and the Browns are doing what they can to keep him on the right path. Bryant also said that defensive line coach Joe Cullen has helped him throughout the tough times. Cullen has a history of his own when it comes to drunk driving from his time in Detroit.

“[Cullen’s] actually had my back and he’s helped me through this situation also and I feel like he’s a great mentor,” Bryant said. “I just made a stupid mistake at the time.  But now I’m just going to let my actions speak for me.”

If the Browns were willing to part ways with Bryant after his latest arrest, it shows that he is near the bottom of the totem pole.

He is a long shot to make the roster and another incident would all but seal the deal and cause the team to part ways with the draft pick.