Cleveland Browns

Hue Jackson is not messing around

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson has made it crystal clear that he has no time for nonsense as he works to rebuild a struggling franchise.

Johnny Manziel learned the lesson in March. For Justin Gilbert, it was during the final roster cutdown after training camp. Linebacker Armonty Bryant found out on Monday.

Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson is done fooling around.

The Browns released Bryant on Monday, the first day he was eligible to return from a four-game suspension violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

With the latest move, Jackson reiterated for anyone still not up to speed that things are changing within the confines of Berea.

“We are laying the right foundation here. I is important to do it the right way. We have a standard that we want to hold our players to, our organization to – coaches, players, everybody,” Jackson said on Monday. “We have an expectation, and that is the direction we’re going in. It is not just directed at Armonty or anybody. I just think that is the way (Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Sashi (Brown), myself, Jimmy and Dee (Haslam) see this as we move forward.

“That is the way we are going to conduct it.”

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The decision to move on from Manziel and Gilbert – two of the biggest first-round busts in franchise history – was an easy one as neither has shown they want to be NFL players. Bryant was a bit more productive – he had 5.5 sacks last season – but certainly not the type of player that the Browns are going to miss.

In 31 career games after being selected in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Bryant had 71 tackles, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

The true test will come when a player the Browns truly need runs into trouble. There was a small chance that scenario would have played out with wide receiver Josh Gordon had he returned from his latest suspension, but Gordon entered an in-patient rehabilitation facility late last week and the Browns are moving on from him.

It has been clear since the latest regime took over in January that things are changing in Cleveland. From free agency to the draft and through Monday’s release of Bryant, the Browns have remained committed to adding players who act like professionals to the roster.

And if there is any doubt that there is a new sheriff in town, all anyone has to do is ask Jackson what will happen if someone gets up to shenanigans.

“When people step out of line,” Jackson said, “there’s consequences.”

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