The Cleveland Browns reportedly signed receiver Isaiah Bond to a three-year, $3 million deal Monday after he was not charged as part of a sexual-assault investigation.
Bond, 21, was expected to be a mid-round pick in 2025 NFL Draft, but went undrafted after being arrested on a sexual-assault charge just two weeks before the draft. Details regarding Bond's arrest were scarce, and Bond claimed the accusations against him were untrue. Bond turned himself in and was able to post $25,000 bail following the arrest.
With his legal situation unresolved, Bond went undrafted and failed to catch on with a team as training camps opened. But his situation changed Thursday. Bond was "no-billed" by a grand jury in Texas, meaning there was not enough evidence to charge Bond.
Shortly after he was no-billed, Bond announced he was signing with the Browns. The team responded to that statement saying they were "doing their diligence" and that a deal would not be signed Thursday.
Bond flashed big-play potential in two seasons at Alabama before transferring to Texas ahead of the 2024 season. Bond didn't rack up elite reception numbers, snagging just 34 balls during his junior season. But he gained 540 yards and scored 5 touchdowns with those catches.
Bond talked up his elite speed ahead of the 2025 NFL Combine, and while he didn't break the 40-yard dash record, he turned in a solid 4.39-second performance. That likely would have been enough to get him drafted in the middle of the draft if not for his arrest.
Now that he's reportedly under contract, Bond will need to get caught up with the Browns after missing a large chunk of training camp. He's unlikely to make an impact early in the season due to his late start, but will look to work his way up a shaky Browns depth chart once he's fully integrated into the team's system.
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