For the past three years, the Cleveland Browns have patiently waited for Cedric Tillman to emerge. He's shown just enough flashes to make fans feel that he could outperform his third-round draft stock, but that hasn't happened yet.
While he has been hampered by subpar quarterback play, Tillman's injury history and lack of development have made him a non-factor in Cleveland. With new and emerging young pass catchers like KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, and Isaiah Bond now in the picture, the writing is on the wall.
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report recently tabbed Tillman as an obvious cut candidate for the Browns ahead of the 2026 season:
"Entering a contract year, Cedric Tillman hasn't produced enough to surpass Jeudy on the depth chart or show that he has the upside comparable to Bond and two top-40 draft picks. On top of that, he's battled injuries in all three of his pro seasons," Moton wrote.
The Browns may finally be running out of patience with Cedric Tillman
While he's still young and could turn out to be great in a new situation, the Browns simply cannot afford to keep making the same mistake with Tillman. The 26-year-old hit a Tier 1 proven performance escalator in his rookie contract, based on playing time, meaning his non-guaranteed base salary jumped to $3.6 million, per Over the Cap. The Browns already addressed a Tier 1 escalator for offensive tackle Dawand Jones, restructuring his contract into a one-year deal with guarantees. That the team hasn't yet addressed Tillman's deal speaks volumes about his uncertain future in Berea.
Tillman does have the physical makeup and style of a prototypical X-receiver. He's strong, fast, and has shown an impressive ability to win in contested-catch situations.
The problem is that having the tools on paper is meaningless. He has yet to play a full season after battling multiple soft-tissue ailments, and the Browns have two new young receivers to feed in Concepcion and Boston.
Tillman has missed 13 games over his three years in the league. As such, he's never even reached 400 receiving yards or four touchdowns in a single season. His 44.7 percent catch rate is also rather mediocre.
None of this bodes well for Tillman, who doesn't offer much value on special teams, either. The Browns will likely use their fifth wide receiver spot on a returner, like Tylan Wallace, and with no major financial penalties for letting him go, Tillman is clearly the odd man out in the Browns' WR room.
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