Cleveland Browns release defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey following spate of off-field problems

Updated Jul. 19, 2023 1:50 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — Defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey was cut by the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday after police opened an investigation into him being involved in an armed robbery.

The team made the swift move just days before training camp is scheduled to begin, ending Winfrey's troubled tenure with the Browns, who selected him in the fourth round last year from Oklahoma.

Cleveland police spokesperson Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said its law department processed a report on Winfrey, who is listed as a “suspect in an aggravated robbery incident.”

According to the police report, an unidentified woman said an agitated Winfrey threatened to hit her and a female companion during an argument outside a downtown Cleveland hotel on Tuesday. The woman recorded the encounter on a phone that the 6-foot-4, 290-pound Winfrey was trying to take from her.

Police said Winfrey can be heard saying, “I’ll smack the (expletive) outta you,” and, ”you know I got it on me.”

The woman told police that during the argument Winfrey pulled up his shirt to show that he had a hand gun tucked in his waistband. She said the gun was dark gray and resembled a Glock.

Winfrey later spoke over the phone to a police officer and claimed the women were harassing him. He was asked to return to the hotel, but declined saying he played for the Browns and “was concerned about security issues,” according to the report.

Police said security cameras outside the hotel “were unable to show much of the what occurred.”

Winfrey, 22, was previously arrested in April after he allegedly caused “bodily injury” during an argument with a woman he was dating in Texas. The charge was dropped after Winfrey completed a pretrial diversion program.

Winfrey's agent wasn't immediately able to be reached.

Winfrey had a rough rookie season with Cleveland. He played in 13 games and recorded 22 tackles while also dealing with some immaturity issues with the team and was disciplined by the Browns, who benched him for several games.

Before the team's mandatory minicamp in June, Winfrey told police he was robbed at gunpoint by six masked men outside a nightclub. Winfrey was with cornerback Greg Newsome II, who had his truck stolen.

Winfrey wasn't on the field for two days of the minicamp before participating in the final workouts. Coach Kevin Stefanski declined to say if Winfrey was being disciplined.

The Browns will begin training camp Saturday in Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

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