The Lions opted not to add defensive end Armonty Bryant to the roster for Sunday’s game against the Panthers and they won’t be doing it this week either.
Bryant became eligible to return to action when his four-game suspension was completed after the Lions’ Week Four win over the Vikings, but the team announced on Monday that they are releasing him rather than bringing him back.
The suspension was the third of Bryant’s NFL career. He was waived by the Browns after completing a three-game ban to open the 2016 season. The Lions claimed him off of waivers and stuck with him after another three-game ban later in the year, but he’ll need to head elsewhere if he’s going to continue playing.
With three sacks in five games for the Lions last year and 11.5 since entering the league in 2013, that’s probably not out of the cards although Bryant’s track record says that no team should be expecting a long-term contributor if he comes aboard.