The Cleveland Browns just signed undrafted rookie WR Isaiah Bond.
That could be a huge pickup for an offense in need of a spark, especially considering that they didn’t add any wide receivers in the NFL Draft.
Nevertheless, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated dropped some interesting intel about the Browns’ decision to sign Bond.
In a recent report, he pointed out that some people inside the building weren’t comfortable with the signing, not because of Bond as a player, but due to the circumstances surrounding him:
“The timing of the Browns’ pursuit of Isaiah Bond wasn’t great—Bond was just cleared in a sexual assault case, and the news that he could be signed came on the heels of rookie Quinshon Judkins being cleared of a domestic violence accusation. I can say there were folks, internally, who weren’t comfortable with it, particularly when combined with the team’s recent history with players facing such accusations,” Breer wrote.
Accountability matters, and the Browns have a long history of signing or drafting players who have had issues with off-field behavior.
They signed Kareem Hunt shortly after the Kansas City Chiefs released him, following a disturbing video of an altercation.
Then, they rewarded Deshaun Watson with a fully guaranteed $230 million contract when he was in the midst of facing many lawsuits for alleged sexual assault.
This team hasn’t necessarily sent the right message in terms of accountability and setting a certain standard for excellence off the field.
Adding Bond to the mix doesn’t do much to help that case, even if he won’t face any charges for his alleged involvement in a domestic assault case.
Of course, everybody deserves an opportunity to prove their innocence, and if he’s not going to face charges, perhaps he shouldn’t even face any sort of discipline by the league or further punishment.
Even so, this team should reconsider its stance regarding some of those major issues.
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