Former Alabama and Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond arrived in Cleveland on Saturday and is set to sign a three-year contract with the Browns, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Bond played under current Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees in 2023, when Rees was working as the Crimson Tide’s OC and quarterbacks coach.
Bond, 21, was viewed as a Day 2 prospect in this year’s draft and arranged a number of visits with interested clubs. In early April, however, he was arrested on sexual assault charges, and he went undrafted as a result.
Bond, who played in Tuscaloosa for two seasons before transferring to Austin for the 2024 slate, steadfastly denied the allegations and even filed a defamation suit against his accuser, which was recently dismissed (via ESPN). On Thursday, as detailed in an ESPN report, the Collin County (Texas) District Attorney’s office announced that a grand jury had returned a “no-bill,” meaning there will be no indictment or further criminal proceedings.
Shortly after the DA’s announcement, Bond took to social media to declare he was going to sign with the Browns. While ESPN’s Adam Schefter cautioned no deal had been finalized, Cabot previously reported Bond would be flying to Cleveland on Saturday and was expected to sign a contract.
Assuming he does put pen to paper, Bond will join a Browns WR corps that could use a jolt. The unit is fronted by Jerry Jeudy, who earned his first Pro Bowl bid last year after Cleveland acquired him in a March 2024 trade with the Broncos. Behind Jeudy and presumptive WR2 Cedric Tillman sit the likes of Jamari Thrash – a 2024 fifth-rounder who caught just three passes last year – journeyman and return specialist DeAndre Carter, and Diontae Johnson (who only attracted interest from the Browns this offseason after a tumultuous 2024 campaign). David Bell is presently on the NFI list.
Of course, even if Bond had been selected in the second or third round of the draft and was able to participate in all of the Browns’ spring work and training camp, he may not have been ready to handle a starter’s workload in the early stages of the regular season. As it stands, he is well behind the learning curve and will have a considerable amount of catching up to do.
And, while he will not face criminal charges, he is still subject to league discipline. League spokesman Brian McCarthy told Cabot the NFL is reviewing the matter, though it is unclear when a decision in that regard will be made.
When the dust settles, the Browns have reason to be optimistic. Bond’s college production does not jump off the page – he caught 99 balls for 1,428 yards and 10 touchdowns across 41 games between Alabama and Texas – but his speed (4.39 40-yard dash time), hands, and route-running are certainly intriguing and caught the attention of scouts around the league.
He should fit in well.
Lmao stop it
You bet me to it!!
Found Jameson William’s user name.
There should be some consequences against these Women, for the epidemic of false accusations against these athletes. This is at least the 3rd different case that has been thrown out against a player was to be drafted this year.
I so agree! And those aren’t even to mention the case in Canada against those 4 hockey players that were thrown out. But not after they were released by their teams and had their pictures and names plastered across the news.
A case of domestic or sexual violence being dismissed doesn’t mean the woman was making it up. It’s very hard to meet a standard of guilty beyond a reasonable doubt when something happens between two people with no witnesses.
Wait, WHAT! League discipline for what. He said he didnt do anytging, the case was dropped. NOTHING to see here.
Once again, please do not conflate no punishment with innocence. The legal system is more complex than that.
Even beyond the recently dismissed charges, Bond has some pretty big character concerns. So many reports of the Texas staff hating his personality and habits. Running his mouth off about setting a 40 yard dash record at the combine only to be demolished by his own teammate. He’s got talent, but he feels like this year’s Jermaine Burton.
Let’s get all the NFL’s sex offenders on one team…
What lucky city gets that privilege?
Why Hooterville of course 🙂
From an athletic standpoint, he’s a great fit…from a character standpoint….come on Browns…let’s stop signing players with sexual assault allegations…hoping they were false but as a Browns fan, this is getting old….now we gotta deal with the messy Bond and Judkins ordeal this year 🙄
Jesus, is a criminal history a prerequisite?