The Cleveland Browns 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 the 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 on 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.
As part of that diligence, the team apparently had Bond go through an independent polygraph test, per team general manager Andrew Berry.
Berry said the team heard "from both sides of the case" before making its decision. He said the team's interactions with Bond pre-draft, combined with his relationship with Browns offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees, gave the team the "necessary insights" feel comfortable signing Bond.
The team added the Bond is "focused on learning from this experience."
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 five 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 he will look to work his way up a shaky Browns depth chart once he's fully integrated into the team's system.
Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned after he avoided charges
Though he's in a similar situation, running back Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned by the Browns on Monday. Judkins was taken by the team with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was selected, Judkins was arrested on a domestic-violence charge.
Judkins received news Thursday that he would not face formal charges following that arrest. Judkins are accused of punching a woman in the chin/lip area, arm and thigh at an airport. Prosecutors declined to move forward with the case due to late reporting, a lack of video and a lack of witnesses to the alleged incident.
Despite that, Judkins remains unsigned Monday, and may need to wait a bit before the Browns re-engage him in contract discussions.
Following Judkins' arrest, the Browns made it clear the team would hold off on contract talks with Judkins until his legal situation resolved. With that in the rear-view, the team will now reportedly wait until the NFL looks into the situation. Though he wasn't charged by prosecutors, Judkins can still face punishment from the NFL depending on what the league finds when it investigates the situation.
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