The Cleveland Browns released defensive back Myles Bryant from the practice squad on Wednesday, a corresponding move after signing cornerback D’Angelo Ross back to the unit, via the NFL transaction wire.
Bryant, 28, is in his seventh NFL season after entering the league in 2020 as an undrafted free agent out of Washington.
The 5-foot-9, 192-pound defensive back spent his first four seasons with the New England Patriots, then two with the Houston Texans before signing with Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent on April 6.
He never stuck on Cleveland’s 53-man roster. The Browns released him during final cuts on Aug. 30 and brought him back to the practice squad the next day.
His latest release came as the team continued to tinker with defensive depth early in the 2026 season. Ross, a former Patriot teammate of Bryant’s, has more recent Browns game experience and a heavier special-teams résumé.
Bryant’s career has been defined by versatility and persistence more than stardom.
Across 77 regular-season games and 20 starts with New England and Houston, he has recorded 254 tackles, 2.0 sacks, four interceptions, 17 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He has lined up as a slot corner, outside corner, free safety, and in the box. In 2025 with the Texans he played 11 games with three starts and 40 tackles.
Cleveland signed him in April as experienced nickel and special-teams help behind Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell. He spent the offseason and training camp competing for a depth role but did not crack the initial 53.
Practice-squad life followed the same pattern he knew in New England and Houston: available if injuries hit, expendable when the club wanted a different body.
The timing is typical NFL roster math. With Tyson Campbell dealing with injury questions heading into Week 3, Cleveland wanted Ross available for another possible elevation. Bryant becomes a free agent and can sign with another club’s practice squad or active roster.
For a player who has been in the league since 2020 without ever being drafted, the cycle is familiar.
Bryant has carved out a living as a smart, compact, multi-position defensive back who coaches can trust on special teams and in a pinch on defense.
Whether that resume lands him another job this week will depend on who needs a veteran insurance policy in the secondary.
The Browns, 1-1 and still sorting their defensive rotation after a turbulent offseason, will keep adjusting. Bryant’s brief Cleveland chapter is over. His NFL chapter is not necessarily finished.
