Through the first half of last season, the Detroit Lions took a chance on a player with a troubled past. After being suspended for the first four games of the 2016 regular season for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drugs policy, Cleveland Browns’ situational pass rusher Armonty Bryant was waived by his team last October.
The Lions claimed Bryant to aid their ailing defense. They got five games and 3.0 sacks out of him before another three game suspension for a substance abuse violation and an injury ended his season in Detroit prematurely.
At only 27-years old and after posting solid production through the first four seasons of his career, the Lions opted to sign Bryant to a modest one-year, $855,000 contract in March.