Browns’ Armonty Bryant, De’Ante Saunders Arrested

Cleveland Browns linebacker Armonty Bryant and practice squad cornerback De’Ante Saunders spent their Christmas Day in custody, according to Scott Taylor of WOIO TV. As Taylor reported, the pair of Browns players were pulled over on I-71 near Brookpark at 2:16 a.m. ET Friday morning. During the traffic stop, Saunders was arrested for an OVI and speeding, while Bryant, who was a passenger in the car, was also taken into custody because their was a gun and prescription drug Adderall in the car that was driven by Saunders.

While they were arrested, the two were picked up by a friend later on. Berea prosecutors still have to decide if criminal charges will be filed against either Bryant or Saunders.

Unfortunately for Bryant, this is the starting linebacker’s third incident with the police since 2012. After being caught selling marijuana in the parking lot of East Central University in Oklahoma (where he went to school), before he was drafted by the Browns in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. Just a couple weeks after the linebacker was selected by the Browns, he was arrested on a DUI charge in Ada, Oklahoma.

Following his DUI arrest in 2013, Bryant “drugs and alcohol were a problem”, but that problem seems to have resurfaced. Here is part of what the starting linebacker said in the statement following his arrest in 2013.

It’s a blessing that I’m even here playing this game and living out a dream of mine. So don’t take advantage of this, and I feel that’s exactly what I did. […] I’ve cut out going out, I’ve stopped drinking – everything. I’ve just been sticking myself in a hotel room, me and Barkevious Mingo.

So far in 2015, Bryant has recorded 28 tackles and 5.5 sacks, while Saunders, who is a rookie that the Browns signed in November, has been on the practice squad for Cleveland.

Following the news being released by Taylor, Browns General Manager Ray Farmer released a statement regarding the arrest of Bryant and Saunders.

We have been made aware of the arrests of De’Ante Saunders and Armonty Bryant after a traffic stop early Friday morning.

These are charges that we take very seriously. The importance of responsible decision-making is something we continually stress to all members of our organization, which makes it extremely disappointing that these two individuals would put themselves in this situation by making such poor decisions.  Armonty will be inactive on Sunday for our game against the Chiefs and will not travel with the team to Kansas City so he can tend to this personal legal matter. In addition to being a pending legal matter, this incident is subject to the NFL personal conduct policy and we have no further comment at this time.

As Farmer stated, Bryant has already been named inactive for Sunday’s matchup against the Chiefs in Kansas City. Just another December in Berea.