Browns biggest surprise this offseason has been 22-year-old UDFA WR’s breakout originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cleveland Browns might have a ton of attention on their quarterback competition this offseason, with Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson still fighting for the QB 1 job.
But, there are plenty of other interesting position battles happening all across the roster, and one of the most intriguing and important is the wide receiver room. While Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion look likely to win the WR 1 and 2 jobs, what about WR?
According to ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi, the Browns’ biggest surprise this offseason has been the ascension of 220-year-old undrafted free agent WR Isaiah Bond. The former Texas Longhorns WR looks to be making a strong case as the WR3 in 2026.
Browns’ Isaiah Bond has been the team’s biggest surprise this offseason
“The Browns drafted wide receivers KC Concpecion and Denzel Boston in April, but no Cleveland wideout was targeted more than Bond this spring,” Oyefusi writes. “The second-year receiver continued to display his speed and showed off the 15 pounds of muscle he added this offseason with a bunch of contested catches.”
Cleveland’s wide receiver room needed a ton of help after a brutal 2025 season, and Andrew Berry drafted Concepcion in Round 1 and Boston in Round 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Those two will be big components of the offense, but it now appears that Bond might be taking on a larger role in the offense after a somewhat quiet rookie season.
Bond caught 18 passes for 338 yards during his 2025 rookie season. He was targeted 44 times in 16 games this past season and wasn’t a huge component of the passing game.
MORE: Browns’ extended QB competition is a good omen for Shedeur Sanders to win QB job
But now, in Todd Monken’s offense, it might be a breakout second-year for Bond if this offseason workout trend carries over to the regular season.
If nothing else, it appears as if Bond might’ve overtaken Jerry Jeudy in the pecking order, assuming Concepcion and Boston will see the field frequently in 2026.
The development of Bond into a legitimate WR option for the Browns’ offense would be incredible news for the team. It would allow the Browns to move on from Jeudy a lot more easily and would also form a very young receiving room for the QB of the future.
Between rookies in Concepcion and Boston, and second-year players in Bond, Harold Fannin Jr., Quinshon Judkins, and Dylan Sampson, this young Browns offensive supporting cast appears to be very talented.
More NFL news:
- Dolphins’ Greg Dulcich is a rising offensive star and a fantasy football sleeper
- Browns QB competition between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson might last into preseason
- Jets urged to sign ex-Browns, Bills DL Larry Ogunjobi
- 49ers urged to finally end Brandon Aiyuk saga with two possible solutions
- Rams urged to extend an offensive lineman before an extension of Puka Naca
About the Author
