The Cleveland Browns are expected to sign undrafted rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond — a decision that has come with some backlash.
Bond was a polarizing name during the draft process due to some off-field trouble. He was arrested in April after a woman alleged a non-consensual encounter. Some had Bond projected as a mid-round pick but he went undrafted as teams awaited the case’s outcome.
Bond turned himself in to Frisco police on a sexual assault warrant in April and was released on $25,000 bond. After reviewing the evidence, a grand jury returned a no-bill — declining to indict — on Thursday, clearing the way for him to sign immediately with any team as an undrafted free agent.
Shortly after it was announced that he wouldn’t be charged, Bond released a statement saying he had signed with the Browns.
“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,” Bond said. “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. I understand that playing in the NFL is a privilege, and I’m thankful every day to live my childhood dream.
“Learning this offense, building strong relationships with my teammates, and making significant contributions within the Cleveland community. I’m determined to prove the Browns organization and everyone who believes in me right for putting their trust in me.”
Lloyd: Browns Have ‘Culture Problem’
Bond is a classic low-risk, high-reward signing for the Browns at a position of need. Still, the move has raised eyebrows, reigniting criticism of Cleveland’s willingness to take chances on players with baggage — a pattern that some believe speaks to a deeper cultural issue within the organization.
“The Browns have a culture problem. This is why. Because they keep doing stuff like this. There is a mark against Isaiah Bond. Regardless of what he did or didn’t do. There’s a mark against him. And if he’s innocent, I feel sorry for him,” Jason Lloyd of The Athletic said on The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show. “But the Browns cashed all their chips in on Deshaun (Watson), and they got no return on it. The Browns keep selling their credibility and they keep selling their soul on junk bonds.”
Lloyd pointed to Watson — who was suspended for 11 games in 2022 after being accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women — and Kareem Hunt, who joined Cleveland in 2019 after the Kansas City Chiefs released him when a video showed him shoving and kicking a woman. Those gambles — and many others — have paid off for the Browns.
“There are franchises that have earned the right to take chances on guys with checkered pasts. The Browns are not one of them,” Lloyd said. “The Browns take them all and what has been the payoff?”
Isaiah Bond Unlikely to Face NFL Punishment
Bond has said he’s signing with the Browns but the team has yet to officially announce a deal. It’s expected to be finalized soon, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
“The Browns, who spent a lot of time scouting Bond in the pre-draft process and brought him into CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for a top 30 visit, have kept tabs on him throughout the legal process, and are putting the finishing touches on their due diligence. If all goes as planned, they’ll sign him soon,” Cabot said on Friday.
Cabot added that the NFL is still reviewing Bond’s situation but he’s unlikely to face punishment in the form of a suspension.
If Bond signs this weekend, he’ll need to get up to speed quickly. Cleveland’s receiver depth chart is wide open beyond No. 1 option Jerry Jeudy and third-year wideout Cedric Tillman, giving Bond a real chance to carve out a role.
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