Cleveland Browns wide receiver Isaiah Bond was back on the practice field after suffering a concussion in a preseason game on August 22 against the Buffalo Bills. He had cleared the league’s mandated concussion protocol, but he had been unable to return to practice until Tuesday.
Head coach Todd Monken said last week that the receiver had cleared the protocol, so it’s uncertain if Bond had suffered some sort of a setback, or the team was just operating with an abundance of caution.
Isaiah Bond Seen Connecting With Shedeur Sanders
Not only was Bond able to return to practice, but he was a standout in practice on Tuesday, hooking up with reserve quarterback Shedeur Sanders on a long pass play down the left sidelines.
It’s a great sign for Bond’s status ahead of the Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team brought wide receiver Bub Means back to the practice squad on Tuesday, ahead of the regular season opener, and there was speculation that perhaps it was an insurance policy because Bond has been slow to recover from his concussion. However, on the practice field, Bond looked like himself.
The former University of Texas standout has been slow to carry over his play from the college ranks to the pros, but apparently the Browns see enough upside in him, even after he went down with a concussion and missed the preseason finale, as he was kept on the 53-man roster.
Bond has an uphill battle for targets and reps, as the team drafted wide receiver KC Concepcion in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, while adding wide receiver Denzel Boston in the second round. In addition, veteran Jerry Jeudy is still considered the top receiver, while tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has emerged as a go-to option in the passing game. Running back Dylan Sampson has capable hands out of the backfield, and is another mouth to feed.
Bond also has some usefulness in the punt return game, and he is likely to get plenty of work on special teams, although the team could treat him with kid gloves early in the season, as they attempt to work him back in.
As such, it might mean Bond has to bide his time before he gets any meaningful looks on offense, but the good news is that the speedster is healthy enough.
