The Cleveland Browns could have Isaiah Bond playing in Week 1.
The Browns signed Bond as an undrafted free agent on August 18. Heading into the NFL Draft, Bond was expected to be a Day 2 pick, but he was accused of sexual assault weeks before the draft, which hindered his stock.
However, on August 14, Bond announced that all charges had been dropped, and he signed with the Browns days later. Although he didn’t have a full training camp and preseason, Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski is impressed with how far Bond has come and gave a positive update ahead of Week 1.
“Yeah, caught up mentally, no issues. Very intelligent kid,” Stefanski said. “Is working a lot of extra hours and time with Coach (Chad) O’Shea and Coach (Stephen) Bravo-Brown to get caught up. But he’s very intelligent so he’s up to speed.”
Bond is a speedy receiver who can add a deep ball weapon to the Browns’ lineup. He ran a 4.35 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, showing off his speed.
The speedy receiver was listed as a backup to Cedric Tillman in Cleveland’s first unofficial depth chart ahead of Week 1.
Bond played college football at Alabama for two years before transferring to Texas. Last season with the Longhorns, Bond recorded 34 receptions for 540 yards and 5 touchdowns. He finished his college career with 99 receptions for 1,428 yards and 10 touchdowns in 3 seasons.
The Browns open their 2025 NFL season at home on Sept. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bond Thanks Browns for Believing in Him
Collin County (Texas) District Attorney Greg Willis revealed that all charges against Bond were dropped.
After the sexual assault charges were dropped, Bond signed with the Browns and thanked Cleveland for believing in him.
“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Cleveland Browns for believing in me and allowing me the opportunity to continue my career in the NFL. Football has been my passion since I was six years old, and playing at this level is a blessing I will never take for granted,” Bond said. “I understand that playing in the NFL is a privilege, and I’m thankful every day to live my childhood dream.
“My focus now is on football. Learning this offense, building strong relationships with my teammates, and making significant contributions within the Cleveland community,” Bond added. “I’m determined to prove the Browns organization and everyone who believes in me right for putting their trust in me.”
Bond signed a three-year, $3.018 million fully guaranteed contract with the Browns after going undrafted.
Cleveland Did ‘Extensive’ Legal Research on Bond
The Browns had shown interest in Bond throughout the draft process, meeting with the receiver.
So, once the accusations came to light, the Browns did their own investigation and felt comfortable signing Bond.
“We’ve spent much of the last calendar year getting to know Isaiah as a player and professional, and much of the last four months gaining a full understanding of his legal situation,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said in a statement. “On the legal side, we have done extensive research that includes but is not limited to hearing from both sides of the case and receiving the results of an independently administered polygraph test.”
Bond now looks to be an impact receiver for the Browns. He joins a receiver room that features Jerry Jeudy, Tillman, and Jamari Thrash
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