Steelers’ Martavis Bryant faces one-year suspension; agent says appeal filed

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant faces a one-year suspension for again violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, his agent confirmed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Saturday.

Bryant, who was suspended by the league for four games to start last season after violating the policy, has appealed the latest suspension, said his agent, Thomas Santanello.

Bryant learned about the possible one-year suspension this week. DKPittsburghSports first broke the news Saturday.

“They want to suspend him for a year and right now it’s under appeal,” Santanello told the Post-Gazette. “I don’t have all the information yet. I can confirm it’s true where it stands right now.”

Bryant, a 2014 fourth-round draft pick from Clemson, caught 50 passes for 765 yards and six touchdowns last season. In two seasons he has 76 catches for 1,314 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 14 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown in their two playoff games last season.

Burt Lauten, the Steelers’ communication coordinator, said the team would have no comment on the matter until or if the NFL announces anything.

Bears sign Freeman

The Chicago Bears added another inside linebacker to their defense, agreeing to a three-year contract with Jerrell Freeman.

The deal with the former Indianapolis Colts player comes three days after the signing of Danny Trevathan. The moves address one of the Bears’ biggest needs and give them two new starters.

The Bears also agreed to a two-year contract with defensive lineman Mitch Unrein. He appeared in 16 games last season — two for San Diego and 14 for Chicago — and finished with 33 tackles. Unrein played for Denver from 2011 to 2014.

The 29-year-old Freeman started all 57 games he played in the past four seasons with Indianapolis after spending three years with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Since entering the NFL in 2012 he is tied for sixth in tackles. He led the Colts in defensive tackles in 2012 and 2013 and ranked second in 2014 and 2015.

Etc.

DeMarcus Ware has restructured his contract to stay with the Denver Broncos, who have lost several key players to free agency. Ware had been scheduled to earn a $3-million bonus Sunday and $7 million next season in the final year of the $30-million contract. Ware finished second on the team behind Von Miller with 7 1/2 sacks last season despite missing five games and parts of two others with a bad back. ... The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms to keep defensive tackle Al Woods in Tennessee, pending a physical. The defensive tackle received a three-year deal to return, according to Woods’ agency’s announcement on Twitter. ...

The Washington Redskins have signed punter Tress Way, who led the NFL in punting in 2014, to a five-year contract extension. The 25-year-old lefty out of Oklahoma averaged 46.1 yards and 39.8 net yards on his 70 punts last season. ... The Chiefs signed free-agent cornerback Jamell Fleming and wide receiver Rod Streater.