BEREA, Ohio -- Rob Chudzinski admitted Friday that the Browns contemplated cutting ties with seventh-round pick Armonty Bryant following his DUI arrest, but opted to give him another chance.

The DUI came on the heels of his marijuana arrest in October, and a promise to the Browns on draft day to be more mature.

"We discussed all the options and ultimately decided that we wanted to bring him in and sit down and talk to him, and that's the process we went through," Chudzinski said following the first practice of rookie minicamp. Bryant, softspoken and obviously humbled by recent events, acknowledged he was afraid the Browns would drop him.

"I'm just fortunate the Browns still have faith in me and this organization and everything and hopefully I can win a spot on this 53-man roster."

A pass-rushing end from tiny East Central University in Oklahoma, Bryant knows that he's on a zero-tolerance policy. "I understand and I'm just going to take this opportunity to let my actions on the field speak," he said.

But why should the Browns believe him when he said similar things on draft day and then went out six days later and got arrested? Eventually, his blood-alcohol level was tested at .090, above Oklahoma's legal limit of .080.

"Because I believe good people make mistakes and it's all about moving on, and hopefully my actions will speak loud," he said.

Chudzinski met Bryant, one of the team's five draft picks, in person for the first time on Thursday and laid down the law.

"It's a serious matter," Chudzinski said. "Now that Armonty's gotten here, I had a chance to sit down with him and talk about my expectations and make those expectations clear with him.

"I feel like we have a good support structure here and I feel like we have good guys in the locker room, some guys that were excellent mentors that any player that follows their example – if you look at D'Qwell Jackson, if you look at Davone Bess and those guys – will learn how to be a professional. Ultimately Armonty needs to show that he's going to be accountable and I expect that out of him."

Bryant (6-4, 263) is on felony probation through October for selling $20 worth of marijuana to undercover police in a university parking lot last September and is on one-year probation for the misdemeanor DUI charge.

"Time will tell," said Chudzinski. "You have to give guys every chance, every opportunity, and I feel really good about the structure that we'll have around him to give him every chance. ... He'll be evaluated consistently and constantly just like all our players are, and time will tell."

That the Browns are supporting Bryant shows the new regime is not only willing to gamble on players with recent legal brushes, such as Bryant and fellow defensive end Desmond Bryant, but that they'll also let a player stumble once on board and not cast him aside. They also stood by linebacker Quentin Groves following his arrest for soliciting a prostitute during the week of voluntary minicamp.

The Browns felt comfortable drafting Bryant after talking to his college coach, Tim McCarty, and sending defensive line coach Joe Cullen out to work him out. Cullen was once arrested for DUI.

"I made a strong bond with coach Cullen," Bryant said. "He's actually had my back and he's helped me through this situation also and I feel like he's a great mentor at the same time."

McCarty has consistently vouched for Bryant's character and had Bryant live with him while he prepared for the pros. The night Bryant was pulled over -- for failing to make a proper left turn signal -- he was headed back to McCarty's house after leaving a party.

"[McCarty] helped me with the situation to move on and everything like that, so it's been pretty good," said Bryant.

"I think I'm more hungry than before," he said. "I'm still a [Division II] pick, so you know, I'll always have that chip on my shoulder. This just makes it a bigger chip."

The Browns drafted Bryant for his rushing ability. Last season, despite a three-game suspension for the marijuana conviction, Bryant had 17.5 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two blocked kicks in eight games.

"He's real raw and has ability," said Chudzinski. "There's a lot of guys that are raw and have ability and it really just depends on his commitment level and work ethic."

Bryant says he has sworn off the nightlife since the DUI.

"I've been locking myself in the room with my playbook every night," he said. "Either that, or I'm on the video games. Just keepin' to myself. Nothing outside is going to affect me from helping this team win, or anything like that."

With his playbook as his new best friend, Bryant has an opportunity to become what the Browns envisioned when they saw him on film.

"It's been tough lately," he said. "Thankfully the Browns still have faith in me and they just let me come out here and have a second chance."

If all goes as planned, he won't need a third.