Giants’ Jameis Winston, Jalin Hyatt, Daniel Bellinger Drew Trade Interest
Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, a third-round choice in 2023, played in over half of the team’s offensive snaps in his rookie year, but his workload was dramatically reduced last season. With Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, and Wan’Dale Robinson ahead of him on the depth chart, Hyatt read the writing on the wall as early as last summer and suggested the Giants should trade him if they planned on using him in a reserve capacity.
At the time, Big Blue was unwilling to entertain the notion, and the club’s stance in that regard has not changed, even though the Nabers/Slayton/Robinson triumvirate remains. According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, other teams checked in with the Giants about the possibility of acquiring Hyatt, who averaged 18.9 yards per catch and who scored 15 TDs in his final collegiate season at Tennessee (which is what encouraged New York to trade up for him in the 2023 draft).
General manager Joe Schoen rebuffed the outside interest and will continue to carry Hyatt on the roster. The former Volunteer caught just eight passes for 62 yards last year, and though he bulked up this offseason with the goal of becoming a more versatile player, it is unclear whether he will see a great deal of action absent an injury to one of the top three wideouts.
The club has also elected to retain tight end Daniel Bellinger, who, per Dunleavy, drew trade inquiries of his own. Like Hyatt, Bellinger is a recent draftee (fourth round, 2022) who saw his playing time slashed last season. After appearing in 62% of the Giants’ offensive snaps in 2023, Bellinger’s snap share dropped to 32% in 2024. He caught just 14 passes for 125 yards.
That reduction in playing time was largely due to the arrivals of veteran Chris Manhertz and 2024 fourth-rounder Theo Johnson, and both players are still around (Manhertz was re-signed in March). It is therefore likely Bellinger will again be used quite sparingly, which is especially unlucky for him as he enters the final year of his rookie pact.
Fellow tight end Greg Dulcich, whom the Giants claimed off waivers in November, was unable to carve out a spot on this year’s depth chart. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, New York would have liked to keep Dulcich on its practice squad, but — perhaps taking Bellinger’s plight into account — Dulcich saw a clearer path to playing time in Miami. He recently signed with the Dolphins’ taxi squad.
With Russell Wilson slated to handle starting quarterback duties at the start of the 2025 campaign, and with first-round rookie Jaxson Dart impressing in the preseason, there was already some trade chatter surrounding Jameis Winston. Assistant GM Brandon Brown attempted to shoot down those rumors, though that did not stop other teams from at least calling the Giants about Winston’s availability, as Dunleavy reports.
Brown has said Winston wants to remain with the team, and former NFL quarterback Matt Simms offers at least one reason why. In a recent appearance on the Talkin’ Ball With Pat Leonard podcast (video link), Simms said Winston’s perspective and influence helped the Giants’ QB room jell this offseason. With so much of the team’s future hinging on Dart’s right arm – to say nothing of the job security of Giants brass – maintaining a positive dynamic for Dart can’t hurt.
NFL Discipline For Browns RB Quinshon Judkins, WR Isaiah Bond Not Imminent; Judkins Remains Unsigned
Although there are no longer any criminal charges pending against Browns rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond or rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, both players remain subject to NFL discipline. The same is true for veteran linebacker Devin Bush, whose simple assault/harassment charges are still pending and who has a jury trial scheduled for December 2.
Unless Bush is able to reach a deal with prosecutors well in advance of his trial date, any league discipline likely will be delayed until 2026. Since Bond and Judkins are in the clear from a criminal standpoint, the NFL could make a decision on them at any time.
However, it appears no such decision is imminent. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, league spokesman Brian McCarthy has no update on the matter, so the status of the two rookies remains in limbo for the time being.
Judkins, a second-round pick, was drafted with the expectation that he would compete for a significant workload right away, as only Jerome Ford was penciled in above him on the depth chart. His misdemeanor domestic battery charge threw a wrench in the works, and although prosecutors decided over two weeks ago that they would not move forward with the case, Judkins remains unsigned.
In a recent appearance on PFT Live, Cabot discussed the possible reasons for the delay (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). Now that a handful of second-rounders selected after Judkins have received fully-guaranteed rookie contracts, it could be that the Browns do not want to go that route for Judkins in light of the circumstances.
Default language could also be an issue. Typically, suspensions void all remaining guarantees on a contract, and Judkins may well receive a suspension stemming from the recent domestic battery allegations. As such, he may be trying to convince the team to exclude that particular incident from the default provisions in his deal.
All of that is just speculation, as Cabot acknowledges the reason for Judkins’ unsigned status is unclear. She did say the former Ole Miss and Ohio State standout is not considering a return to college football (NCAA rules technically prevent that, but Florio believes Judkins could win a legal challenge on that front).
Bond was a legitimate Day 2 prospect whose draft stock was tanked by his sexual assault charges. After a grand jury declined to indict him, he quickly caught on with the Browns, and he offers intriguing upside in a WR room that has plenty of question marks behind Jerry Jeudy.
Still, given the issues surrounding Judkins and Bush, and in light of the backlash the team faced after acquiring quarterback Deshaun Watson several years ago, there were members of the organization who were uncomfortable with signing Bond, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. While the team’s top decision-makers clearly felt the risk was worth the reward, the fact that there was apparently some pushback is notable.
Dolphins GM Chris Grier Discusses Offseason Approach, Tyreek Hill, Jalen Ramsey Trade, Secondary
The Dolphins were not especially active in free agency this offseason, as guard James Daniels (three years, $24MM) was the only FA addition to land a contract worth over $6MM. After Miami made significant expenditures in recent seasons to extend internal talent or acquire expensive, high-profile players from other clubs, this year’s more conservative approach reflected a concerted effort to get right with the salary cap.
“For us, it was just good business,” Dolphins GM Chris Grier told reporters, including Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, at his annual late-August press conference on Wednesday. “We had to get younger … At some point, if you don’t reset fast enough, it’s not good cap wise. We got to a point where we felt this was the right time to do it but to the point we [also] have a good roster to win games. We’ve been very happy so far.”
Grier made sure to point out owner Stephen Ross did not influence his roster construction.
“Steve has never given us a directive on how to do it,” Grier noted. “At some point, you have to reset. When you make aggressive moves like we had made for a few years, you have to reset and start it over. It’s not sustainable.”
Of course, two years after trading for CB Jalen Ramsey and one year after extending him, the ‘Fins dealt him and TE Jonnu Smith to the Steelers at the end of June. They took on Minkah Fitzpatrick’s notable contract in the process, but with Pittsburgh assuming the bulk of Ramsey’s pay, it ended up as a financial win for Miami, particularly since the team was able to avoid signing Smith to an extension at the peak of his value.
As Jackson notes, there may have been other factors at play in the Ramsey/Smith trade. When asked about parting ways with Ramsey and others this offseason, Grier said, “we were winning, but we weren’t winning the right way. They were held accountable but at times it didn’t matter to them. Moving on from those people … At some point, you say enough is enough.”
To be clear, Grier said Ramsey and Smith are “good people” and that he “didn’t have any issues with them.” Still, the accountability comments add an interesting wrinkle to conversations about the Dolphins’ offseason strategies.
When discussing his current roster, Grier praised the group’s accountability and self-policing. He spoke particularly highly of wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who was also a rumored trade candidate earlier this year.
“Tyreek has been unbelievable the whole offseason,” Grier said. “He has been around every day, worked tirelessly with this team. He’s closer with a lot of his teammates than he has ever been. He is 100 percent invested. [Quarterback] Tua [Tagovailoa] and Tyreek are closer than I’ve ever seen them before.”
One of the byproducts of Grier’s cap-driven roster decisions was a perceived weakness in the secondary, underscored by the inevitable Ramsey departure and the February release of CB Kendall Fuller. In Week 1, 2024 UDFA Storm Duck and recent signee Rasul Douglas are penciled in as the starting boundary corners, while fifth-round rookie Jason Marshall will man the slot. It is a group that is not inspiring a great deal of confidence at the moment, though Grier naturally expressed optimism.
“We feel good about the room, adding [Douglas] to the group,” he said. “We’ve been talking to him throughout the summer. He’s a consummate professional, keeps himself in great shape. He’s very smart. Happy to add him to the group. Veteran players go through their process of when they’re ready. Timing worked to get it done last minute.”
Grier went on to discuss the benefit of adding Fitzpatrick to the defensive backfield. As Jackson details in a separate piece, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver plans to deploy Fitzpatrick in multiple roles. That includes rushing the passer and lining up on the box.
“It’s going to be a little bit more challenging, a little bit more pressure,” Fitzpatrick said. “They’re asking me to do more than just one job. I think his defense in the secondary is based off of versatility, and that’s kind of the reason they brought me here.”
Buccaneers Make Roster Cuts
Here is how the Buccaneers trimmed their roster to the 53-man limit Tuesday:
Released:
- DL Eric Banks
- DL Adam Gotsis
- CB Bryce Hall
- WR Jacob Harris
- G Michael Jordan
- G Sua Opeta
Waived:
- CB Tre Avery
- QB Connor Bazelak
- DL C.J. Brewer
- S Will Brooks
- DL Mike Greene
- WR Garrett Greene
- G Luke Haggard
- WR Jacob Harris
- WR Dennis Houston
- DL Nash Hutmacher
- LB Nick Jackson
- WR Rakim Jarrett
- DL Dvon J-Thomas
- RB Jase McClellan
- T Tyler McLellan
- T Lorenz Metz
- OL Raiqwon O’Neal
- OLB Warren Peeples Jr.
- WR Trey Palmer
- LB Jose Ramirez
- S Shilo Sanders
- G Ben Scott
- TE Tanner Taula
- RB Owen Wright
Waived/injured:
- CB JayVian Farr
- CB Tyrek Funderburk
- LB Antonio Grier
- C Jake Majors
- G Raiqwon O’Neal
- CB Roman Parodie
Waived/Non-Football Illness:
Sanders, the son of NFL legend and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, signed with Tampa Bay in May after he went undrafted. Shilo, who had been competing for a spot at the back of the Bucs’ safety depth chart, was ejected from the club’s preseason finale on Saturday for throwing a punch following heavy pushing and shoving with Bills TE Zach Davidson. He was also flagged for pass interference in the game.
Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Sanders was headed to the waiver wire, and they hope their client will get claimed on waivers. A fresh start would likely be welcomed by all parties, although it will be interesting to see if any outside suitors put in a claim given the manner in which his Tampa tenure came to an end.
Jarrett, who joined the Bucs as an undrafted free agent in 2023, has recorded 13 catches for 184 yards in his brief time with the team. He will now hit the waiver wire. Provided no claim is made, a spot on the practice squad could be in store given Jarrett’s familiarity with the organization. The Bucs will hold P-squad spots for Jackson and Bazelak, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine and Fox Sports’ Greg Auman. Bazelak staying on would provide finality for Kyle Trask, whom the Bucs released earlier this week. Teddy Bridgewater will be Tampa Bay’s backup, and it looks like Bazelak — a rookie UDFA from Bowling Green — will be the third-stringer.
Weight issues stalled Watson’s practice work, and the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud indicates he ballooned to 470 pounds entering the offseason program. Weight trouble hindered Watson, who did not see any preseason action due to the issue. The Bucs opted to cut Watson, who would have been the heaviest player in NFL history had he played in a regular-season game, rather than stash him on the reserve/Non-Football Illness list. They will not hold a practice squad spot for him, Stroud adds.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Vikings Trade QB Sam Howell To Eagles; Minnesota Signs Carson Wentz
The Vikings are trading quarterback Sam Howell and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Eagles, per Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. In exchange, Minnesota will receive a fifth- and seventh-round choice in 2026, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that the team is also signing veteran passer Carson Wentz to replace Howell and to serve as the backup for J.J. McCarthy.
Wentz, 32, visited the Vikings yesterday, and the summit clearly went well. McCarthy, of course, missed his entire rookie season in 2024 due to injury, though the club’s faith in his ability to operate as the starting QB in 2025 never wavered. Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones were therefore allowed to leave in free agency, and Minnesota acquired Howell during April’s draft with the expectation that he would slot in behind McCarthy on the depth chart.
Howell played well in the club’s first preseason contest this summer, but he struggled in his second outing, completing one of five passes for 13 yards and an interception. He sat out the preseason finale on Friday as Brett Rypien and 2025 UDFA Max Brosmer shared the snaps under center.
In addition to adding a more experienced and accomplished voice in Wentz — who is familiar with HC Kevin O’Connell‘s offensive system — today’s transaction adds a bit more draft capital to the Vikings’ stockpile (just as the recent Harrison Phillips swap did). As multiple pundits, including ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, were quick to point out in the immediate aftermath of the Howell report, Minnesota is in the market for a wide receiver, and the Phillips and Howell trades could help facilitate a WR addition. Longtime Viking and current Panther Adam Thielen remains a target, but Fowler notes the club has multiple lines of inquiry open. Plus, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, Minnesota has been pleased with Brosmer and appears perfectly content to have him as the No. 3 QB.
Howell, meanwhile, continues a nomadic journey that is uncommon for such a young player. The Commanders’ 2022 draftee, who will turn 25 next month, started all 17 games for Washington in 2023, and he finished with a 4-13 record. The club was unafraid to let him air it out, as he led the NFL with 612 pass attempts, which led to a league-worst 21 interceptions. He was traded to Seattle in April 2024, but he saw limited action as the backup to Geno Smith. Including today’s deal, the UNC product has been traded three times in the span of 18 months.
Still, the Eagles needed some cover for their own QB room, as Jalen Hurts‘ presumptive backup, Tanner McKee, is dealing with a finger injury that has jeopardized his Week 1 availability. Albert Breer of SI.com notes Philadelphia remains high on McKee, and it does not sound as if his ailment is a long-term one. Nonetheless, Howell will offer an upgrade over sixth-round rookie Kyle McCord, both as the QB2 in the event McKee is not ready to go at the start of the season and as the QB3 over the course of the campaign (or, the Eagles could theoretically try to trade McKee; per Breer, there has been outside interest in the 25-year-old signal-caller, which echoes his recent report on the matter).
Assuming a McKee trade does not come to fruition, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes McCord will be waived, though the Eagles could try to stash him on the practice squad if he clears waivers. Offseason trade acquisition Dorian Thompson-Robinson is also on the Eagles’ roster for the time being, but today’s news obviously does not bode well for his future in Philly.
McLane adds that the team has waived/injured DB Lewis Cine, who, according Zach Berman of The Athletic, was on crutches following Friday’s preseason game, when he recorded a diving interception.
Lions LB Ezekiel Turner May Have Suffered Torn Achilles
Lions linebacker Ezekiel Turner suffered what head coach Dan Campbell believes is a “significant” injury during the team’s final preseason game on Saturday, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Turner himself said he may have sustained a torn Achilles.
Turner, 29, has carved out a niche as a respected special teams contributor. The Washington product signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2018, and he impressed enough in his third phase work to earn an RFA tender in 2021. He remained with Arizona through the end of the 2023 season.
He signed with the 49ers last March but did not make it to the end of training camp with the club. He caught on with the Texans’ practice squad and appeared in one game for Houston before being cut and landing on the Seahawks’ taxi squad. He did not see game action with Seattle and eventually joined Detroit’s p-squad.
Despite appearing in only nine regular season games with the Lions, Turner set a career-high with 111 defensive snaps, as the injury-decimated team was in desperate need of bodies. He continued to operate as a key special-teamer, and he did enough to earn a new contract this offseason. The Lions were presumably counting on him to carry on his work on ST, and he was also in the backup linebacker mix.
“That could be tough,” Campbell said of Turner’s injury. “We’re getting tests on that. That was a significant injury it looks like.”
Turner, who has 90 regular season appearances to his name, has recorded 95 total tackles, a half-sack, and a forced fumble. He also appeared in the Lions’ lone playoff game last season.
Another one of the Lions’ special teams standouts, RB Sione Vaki, has dealt with hamstring injuries throughout camp. He is still sidelined with an injury that Campbell says is “not a major thing,” but it sounds as if he could be available for Week 1 (via Birkett).
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan Expects WR Jauan Jennings To Play In Week 1
49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings has been sidelined for weeks due to a lingering calf problem. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan expects Jennings to be ready for Week 1.
“I expect him to be back, he should be back from it,” Shanahan told reporters, including Matt Barrows of The Athletic, on Saturday. “But you never know with a calf.”
Jennings, 28, is entering a platform campaign, the result of the two-year deal player and team worked out last spring in lieu of an RFA tender. San Francisco’s negotiations with fellow WR Brandon Aiyuk dominated the club’s storylines last year, but Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7, thus opening the door for Jennings to earn more targets.
The Tennessee product took advantage of his opportunity, setting career-highs across the board with 77 catches for 975 yards and six scores. That showing, along with Aiyuk’s injury – which will keep him sidelined until at least Week 6 of the 2025 season – and the offseason trade of Deebo Samuel had Jennings angling for a raise.
Last month, it was reported that Jennings wanted a contract extension or, failing that, to be traded to a different team. Shanahan later said Jennings had not formally requested a trade, and the wideout did participate in practice at the beginning of training camp before the calf injury arose.
There has been speculation that Jennings’ absence is driven at least in part by his contract situation and not entirely by his health. In the wake of his recent trade for Skyy Moore, GM John Lynch was asked whether the move was designed to send a message to Jennings.
“No message,” Lynch predictably replied (via Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area). “We like the player, Skyy. We love Jauan. We’re getting close to the season. Players got to practice, but if they’re not healthy enough to do it, they can’t. So that’s kind of where we’re at with Jauan right now.”
Although the Jennings contract/injury matter remains murky, Shanahan was at least able to put a positive spin on it by saying he expects Jennings to be available for Week 1. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for 2024 fourth-rounder Jacob Cowing.
Shanahan announced Cowing has reinjured the hamstring injury that kept him out of the bulk of training camp, and that he “pulled it fully” (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). Cowing will miss at least six weeks as a result. Fourth-round rookie Jordan Watkins may not be available for Week 1 due to a high ankle sprain, and it sounds as if Shanahan expects Demarcus Robinson’s three-game DUI suspension to be upheld on appeal, so the Ricky Pearsall-fronted WR corps could sorely use Jennings’ presence.
On the defensive side of the ball, Shanahan announced rookie corner Jakob Robinson sustained a broken forearm near the end of Saturday’s preseason finale (via Wagoner). That is an especially tough development for Robinson, a rookie UDFA who appeared to have a real chance to make the 53-man roster.
Kyle Allen Leading Hendon Hooker In Lions’ QB2 Battle
AUGUST 24: Hooker struggled in Detroit’s final preseason contest on Saturday, connecting on six of 11 passes for 70 yards. He also turned the ball over for the fifth time in the preseason, and Campbell did not mince words when asked whether Hooker would stick on the roster.
“How much development do you believe there is?” Campbell said (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “We’re talking about Hooker right now, how much development do you believe there still is? Sometimes, does the player need a change of scenery?”
It seems Hooker is likely to be waived prior to Tuesday’s deadline for teams to reduce their rosters to 53 players. While he could be stashed on the practice squad if he clears waivers, Campbell’s change-of-scenery comments suggest Detroit may not take that route even if it becomes available.
AUGUST 17: The Lions brought Teddy Bridgewater out of his quasi-retirement last December, clearly feeling the need to fortify their QB room for the end of the regular season and the playoffs. While head coach Dan Campbell tried to downplay the notion that the Bridgewater addition signified a lack of faith in 2023 draftee Hendon Hooker – who had served as Jared Goff‘s backup to that point in the 2024 campaign – Hooker was not automatically returned to the QB2 post this year.
Instead, Detroit signed Kyle Allen in March, and Campbell said a competition for the backup job would commence. At the moment, Allen is decisively winning that competition and therefore appears to be in line to open the season behind Goff on the depth chart.
In the Lions’ preseason game against the Dolphins on Saturday, Allen got the start and completed 14 of 17 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns, including a score at the end of a well-constructed two-minute drill (h/t Dave Brikett of the Detroit Free Press).
Hooker, by contrast, completed six of 13 passes for 61 yards and an interception. As Birkett observes, the Miami game represented the third time in three preseason contests – Detroit was one of the participants in the Hall of Fame Game – that Allen has outplayed Hooker, a fact Campbell acknowledged when addressing the media afterwards.
“He’s playing better,” Campbell said of Allen (via Birkett). “So I would say that right now, if you’re saying – if you had to go in with a [QB2] right now, who would you trust more? Yeah, I would trust Kyle more because he’s proven more after these two games. But I’m still – we’re still going to coach Hooker up and we’re still going to see what’s there and see if we can get him better. I mean, we still got a little bit here.”
It is fair to wonder how much another week or so of coaching will improve Hooker’s stock with the organization. Entering the NFL after a November 2022 ACL tear dinged his prospect status, Hooker was the fifth quarterback chosen that year. Rumblings about first- and second-round landing spots circulated before that draft, but the once-surging University of Tennessee QB tumbled into Round 3.
Two years remain on Hooker’s rookie contract, and although he is entering just his third professional season, he is now 27. The fact that he seems to be losing ground to the 29-year-old Allen, who has become a nomadic backup/third-stringer since a 12-start audition in 2019, is a disappointing development.
Campbell went on to say Hooker may get the start in next week’s preseason finale against the Texans. At the very least, he will get an extended look as he fights for his place on the club.
Under Campbell, the Lions have made a habit of carrying only two passers on the 53-man roster.
Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell Suffers Fractured Wrist, Out Six To Eight Weeks
Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell suffered a fractured right wrist during the team’s preseason finale against the Cardinals on Saturday, as head coach Pete Carroll told reporters after the game (including Tashan Reed of The Athletic). Carroll announced O’Connell would need surgery and would be out for six to eight weeks, thus making him an obvious candidate for injured reserve.
This offseason, the Raiders acquired Geno Smith via trade with the Seahawks, and he will serve as the starting QB. O’Connell, a fourth-round pick in 2023, cropped up in trade rumors prior to this year’s draft, but Las Vegas did not select a passer until adding North Dakota State’s Cam Miller in the sixth round. As such, O’Connell was retained and was in line to serve as Smith’s backup.
O’Connell, who will turn 27 next week, lost last summer’s QB1 competition to Gardner Minshew, though he still ended up starting seven games over the course of the 2024 season. After a somewhat encouraging 5-5 record in his rookie campaign in 2023, O’Connell went just 2-5 as a starter last year.
His career numbers are respectable enough for a backup passer: 20 TDs against 11 interceptions, a 62.6% completion percentage, and an 85.1 QB rating. However, he was not especially sharp during this year’s preseason schedule; over the first two games, he completed 33 of 53 passes for just 343 yards (6.5 yards per attempt) for one touchdown and three interceptions.
He started Saturday’s contest by completing three of his first four passes for 36 yards, but he also lost a fumble, his fourth turnover of the preseason. As ESPN’s Ryan McFadden observes, O’Connell also struggled in training camp practices, and Carroll acknowledged the offense did not move as quickly with O’Connell at the controls.
Miller finished the Arizona game by completing 12 of 24 passes for 124 yards. The Raiders likely do not want to have a developmental rookie working as Smith’s backup, so the team may well look to add a quarterback in short order.
Carson Wentz, who just visited the Vikings on Saturday, is the biggest name on the free agent market as of the time of this writing. With teams needing to trim their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday, more QBs will become available, by trade or otherwise.
Browns Sign WR Isaiah Bond
AUGUST 18: The Bond deal is now official, and Cabot reports the pact is worth a fully guaranteed $3.02MM. Bond is expected to take part in practice Tuesday as he looks to carve out a role in Cleveland’s receiver room in time for the regular season.
AUGUST 17: 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.