{"id":292730,"date":"2025-08-16T12:39:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T12:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/292730\/"},"modified":"2025-08-16T12:39:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T12:39:14","slug":"update-on-texas-wr-isaiah-bond-browns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/292730\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on Texas WR Isaiah Bond, Browns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before training camp, the Cleveland Browns had 13 receivers signed to deals. Those numbers have dwindled a bit with several players released or became injured. But the current lineup is still plenty full of roster hopefuls.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, the Browns keep six receivers on the final 53-man roster<\/a>. Three are most likely a lock: Jerry Jeudy, Ced Tillman, and Jamari Thrash. Diontae Johnson and DeAndre Carter have been discussed as the most likely from this group to remain, but neither is a definite and it wouldn\u2019t surprise anyone to see them released and then signed for the practice squad. That leaves just one spot up for grabs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: BROWNS ROSTER BUBBLE – LARVADAIN VS. DAVIS<\/a><\/p>\n

And that spot has plenty of talent and competition that is still going on. Today\u2019s exhibition game against the Philadelphia Eagles will narrow the list. Kisean Johnson<\/a> inked a three-year deal worth $2.965 million. Gage Larvadain and Kaden Davis have been fighting it out. David Bell always remains a possibility.<\/p>\n

From the beginning of training camp, everyone viewed Diontae Johnson as the Wild Card in this group. And now, a new contender has emerged: Isaiah Bond, undrafted rookie free agent out of Texas. Bond is due in Cleveland today to sign a contract and join the team next week.<\/p>\n

Is Bond the answer to this year\u2019s receiver group? And why Cleveland?<\/p>\n

Immediately afterwards, Bond posted on Instagram that his future plans now include the Browns. While the exact number of NFL clubs that actively pursued him isn\u2019t specific, it is clear that he had choices and decided that Cleveland was the best opportunity for him going forward.<\/p>\n

Is he a roster lock? Not so fast. For one, he will have exactly one week and the final preseason game on August 23 against the Los Angeles Rams to prove he belongs. The Tuesday after the Rams matchup, the Turk shows up. That means that Bond has one week to study the playbook, practice with quarterbacks he has never played with before, learn new routes and terminology, and find out what the next level is about.<\/p>\n

All of the other receivers that remain have been with the Browns since May. They went to OTAs and mini-camp and have been practicing and working in the heat all this time.<\/p>\n

Overall, Bond averaged a third-round evaluation, which is still pretty good. He runs a 4.39 in the 40. He was the second-fastest player at the combine in terms of top speed, reaching 24.17 miles per hour.<\/p>\n

As far as college stats, Bond had 14 starts at Texas with 34 receptions for 540 yards, five touchdowns, a 15.9 yards per reception average, four rushes for 98 yards, and a single rushing score. Does any of this scream \u201cRookie of the Year\u201d?<\/p>\n

\"INDIANAPOLIS,<\/a><\/p>\n

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 28: Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond answers questions from the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on February 28, 2025, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

He attended Alabama in his freshman and sophomore campaigns and had 27 starts with 65 receptions for 888 yards, five touchdowns, a 13.7 yards per reception average, one run for three yards. Nothing that says \u201cfuture Pro Bowl\u201d here either.<\/p>\n

One thing Bond is – is a track star. At Buford High School in Buford, Georgia, he won the Georgia High School Association Class 5A and 6A state championships for three years straight from 2019 to 2021. His events were the 100 meters (10.48) and 200 meters (21.05).<\/p>\n

In college, Bond was never named to any conference team, voted All-American, or received any accolades actually. He was just \u201cthat fast guy.\u201d Well, so was Anthony Schwartz.<\/p>\n

Bond will most likely get a similar deal as Kisean Johnson, with maybe some of it guaranteed and a smallish signing bonus. If he makes the roster, the Browns will then look for him to make his second contract much larger and rebound financially.<\/p>\n

Bond has a small frame, being 5\u2019-11\u201d and weighing 180 pounds. He is only a decent downfield blocker, but has a deep threat ability of 84%. He possesses short-area quickness and has elite athletic traits with explosive acceleration. He does a good job of selling his routes and will work across the middle, so the slot or \u201cZ\u201d position would be a perfect spot for him.<\/p>\n

The negatives are that his production has never caught up with his speed. He also gets knocked off his routes easily by bigger cornerbacks, and he goes down on the first hit. Basically, he relies too heavily on his elite speed and has a moderate catch radius.<\/p>\n

But he does bring returner capabilities into the fold, an area that Cleveland has desperately attempted to solve over the years, and still does not have both a kickoff or punt returner that scares anyone.<\/p>\n

Right now, Bond is the shiny new toy. In one week, we will see what he is made of and if he has a chance to make the final roster, or meet the Turk.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Before training camp, the Cleveland Browns had 13 receivers signed to deals. Those numbers have dwindled a bit…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":292731,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2054],"tags":[86,85,54,51955,52261,1864,1696,2337,7,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-292730","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cleveland-browns","8":"tag-browns","9":"tag-cleveland","10":"tag-cleveland-browns","11":"tag-cleveland-browns-depth-chart","12":"tag-cleveland-browns-rumors","13":"tag-cleveland-browns-news","14":"tag-cleveland-browns-roster","15":"tag-clevelandbrowns","16":"tag-football","17":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115038491145375769","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=292730"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292730\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/292731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=292730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=292730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=292730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}