If rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond's recent signing doesn't nudge Diontae Johnson off the Cleveland Browns, the six-year veteran's preseason Week 2 performance might.
On Monday, the Browns officially signed Bond to a three-year, $3.108 million contract, first reported by Cleveland.com Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot.
Bond's deal, as first reported here, is a fully-guaranteed 3-year deal worth $3.018 million, more consistent with the 3rd pick he was projected to be than an undrafted FA
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 18, 2025
Bond went undrafted this past April following an arrest on a sexual assault warrant. Last Thursday, Collin County (Texas) District Attorney Greg Willis announced that a grand jury had declined to indict Bond, ending criminal proceedings.
He's not the first controversial Browns signing, but despite the poor optics, the three-year commitment — at a cost Cabot noted is more in line with what third-round picks make than undrafted free agents — suggests the front office is optimistic about his future.
The same can't be said of Johnson, who might be playing his way off an astonishing fifth team since 2023.
Diontae Johnson Didn't Help Case to Make 53-Man Roster In Preseason Week 2
Johnson was targeted on rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel's pick-six against the Eagles.
A 2019 third-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson was easily knocked off his route by Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba, and Johnson ended up next to tight end Blake Whiteheart.
Mukuba made a play on the ball and raced 75 yards for a touchdown.
Per Pro Football Focus data, during the first two weeks of the preseason, Johnson has one reception for seven yards on five targets.
Johnson was traded to the Carolina Panthers in March 2024. Ahead of last season's trade deadline, the Panthers dealt him to the Baltimore Ravens, who released him a little less than two months later, one week after he refused to enter a game against the Eagles, eventually explaining, "It was cold"during a June 2025 podcast appearance.
Johnson ended the season with the Houston Texans, who waived him ahead of the AFC divisional round.
Bond, who ran a 4.39s 40-yard dash and was No. 17 in Sports Info Solutions' 2025 NFL Draft wide receiver prospect rankings, could quickly surpass Johnson, and possibly others, on the depth chart.
Jerry Jeudy solidified himself as a WR1 last season, when he set personal highs in receptions (90) and receiving yards (1,229). But the depth behind him is suspect.
Cedric Tillman, a 2023 third-rounder, is the Browns' second top returning wideout, ending last year with 29 receptions, 339 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.
The Browns signed veteran wide receiver DeAndre Carter in free agency, but he's more likely to serve as a kick and punt return specialist.
The scarcity of proven options behind Jeudy gives Bond an avenue to receiving early playing time despite being a late arrival.
Meanwhile, Johnson's chances of entering Week 1 on the Browns active roster have become less realistic.