Preparation is everything in the NFL. Game plans are built over the course of a week, with specific players repping specific roles until every route and adjustment becomes second nature. When one of those players goes down early, his replacement is often asked to handle a job he barely practiced. That was the challenge facing one young Browns receiver on Sunday.
Deshaun Watson praised Isaiah Bond after the loss to the New York Jets.
“Proud of [Isaiah Bond], man. It’s a big role. Again, KC was a big factor in this game plan and for IB not to really get necessarily those reps that KC took all week, for him to come in and try to perform and be in the right spot at the right time, you’ve just got to be proud and just look at it in an encouraging way. It’s all perspective,” Watson said.
Watson’s point about practice reps adds important context to Bond’s afternoon. KC Concepcion was featured heavily in the plan for the Jets, and when he left with a concussion in the 1st quarter, Bond was thrust into a role he had not been preparing for during the week.
In that light, his production looks even better. Bond caught 3 passes for a team-high 74 yards on 7 targets after entering the game with just 2 catches all season, giving the offense a vertical spark in conditions that made throwing difficult for everyone.
There were rough moments, which is to be expected. Bond had a costly drop late in the game, an understandable mistake for a player handling a much bigger workload with no warning.
The Browns allowed 8 sacks, managed just 96 rushing yards and lost their most versatile receiver early, leaving their quarterback with very little margin for error.
Bond could be part of the solution. If Concepcion is not cleared from the concussion protocol in time for the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Bond would get a full week of practice in that expanded role, which should help him play faster and with more confidence.
His emergence matters for the bigger roster picture as well. Jerry Jeudy continues to come up in trade speculation, and a dependable Bond would give Andrew Berry more flexibility ahead of the November 10 deadline.
Watson called it a matter of perspective, and the perspective here is promising. A young receiver handled a sudden promotion reasonably well on a tough day, and with a full week of preparation, Bond could give the Browns a much-needed lift against Baltimore.
NEXT: Analyst Defends Deshaun Watson After The Jets Loss
