CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns left tackle Greg Robinson, whom the club had already informed wouldn’t be re-signed, was found with 157 pounds of marijuana in a rented vehicle in which he and two other people were riding in El Paso, Texas, federal authorities say.
Robinson, 27, and former NFL receiver Jaquan Bray, 26, remain in the El Paso County Detention Center after federal authorities charged them with possession and intent to distribute marijuana. It was found in several large duffel bags in the rear cargo, according to a Department of Justice release.
If convicted, Robinson, who started 14 games for the Browns at left tackle in 2019 and eight the year before, faces up to 20 years in prison, the document states.
Signed by the Browns as a free agent in June of 2018, Robinson made $6.4 million last season on a one-year “prove-it” deal, but wasn’t able to nail down the job. He was ejected from the opener after kicking Titans safety Kenny Vaccaro in the face, and benched for the Patriots game because of ineffectiveness. He was re-instated a week later, but had already fallen out of favor by then.
Robinson, the No. 2 pick of the 2014 draft by the Rams out of Auburn, is due to become an unrestricted free agent in March. But the Browns planned all along to replace him this offseason, and had already informed his camp before this arrest.
The Browns, still seeking the heir to future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, will look for their new left tackle with the draft’s No. 10 pick, in a trade or through free agency. Signed by former Browns GM John Dorsey, Robinson was installed as the starter for the final eight games of 2018 and solidified the position after rookie Desmond Harrison flopped. Baker Mayfield endorsed Robinson, and it seemed he may have found a home.
But his “prove-it’’ season got off to a horrible start when he was ejected during the Browns’ 43-13 loss to the Titans, in which Mayfield was sacked five times. When he was benched in favor of Justin McCray, the writing was on the wall that he was gone.
Robinson and Bray were teammates at Auburn.
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