The Los Angeles Chargers have moved on from Ben Cleveland, cutting the offensive guard early in training camp after a fresh arrest added another troubling chapter to his offseason.
Cleveland was arrested July 16 in Oconee County, Georgia, on charges tied to speeding and an alleged violation of the conditions of a limited driving permit. Jail records show he was taken into custody around 10 a.m. and released less than two hours later.
The Chargers signed Cleveland in January, but he never appeared in a game for Jim Harbaugh’s team. Instead, the club waived him to create a roster spot as camp continued.
His short stay in Los Angeles came after a rocky run that had already pushed him out of Baltimore. The Ravens released him on January 1 following a league suspension for a substance abuse policy violation.
That suspension came after a stretch of off-field trouble that included a February 2025 divorce filing listing adultery as the reason. Cleveland’s estranged wife denied the claims and called them false.
Two weeks before that divorce filing, Cleveland was arrested for driving under the influence in Milledgeville, Georgia, on February 12. Police reports said his blood-alcohol level was 0.178, and he allegedly told officers he had had three or four beers at a country club.
Cleveland entered the league as a third-round pick by Baltimore in the 2021 draft. He spent five seasons with the Ravens and made limited starts before off-field issues helped bring that chapter to an end.
The Chargers took a shot on him for depth, but the gamble lasted only a few months. The latest arrest appears to have been enough for the team to make a quick break, and Cleveland is now a free agent again.
The team has not issued a lengthy public statement on the release.
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