The Cleveland Browns entered the offseason with a clear need for wide receiver talent. To general manager Andrew Berry’s credit, they now have a logjam that could lead to some difficult decisions come roster cutdown day.
Based on everything we know from head coach Todd Monken’s first spring program, the Browns have five wide receivers that can be confidently labeled as roster locks. Those players are returning No. 1 Jerry Jeudy, rookie draft picks KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, ascending second-year pro Isaiah Bond, and veteran Tylan Wallace, the lone free agent Monken brought to Cleveland from his previous stop with the Baltimore Ravens.
That group alone is already a major improvement, as Concepcion and Boston complement one another well. Bond is poised to fill a deep-threat role, freeing Jeudy to move around the formation, including a likely uptick in snaps where he lines up in the slot.
Wallace brings enough juice as a receiver to be a serviceable depth piece, but his true value lies on special teams where he logged over 1,000 career snaps as a member of the Ravens, per Pro Football Focus. He only has 22 career receptions over his five years in the league.
The Browns will likely carry six wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster. With the top four locked in, and Wallace poised to land the sixth spot as more of a specialist, the question we’ll be answering in this edition of our training camp Dawg Fight series is: Who wins the WR5 role?
The Dawg Fight for WR5: What does Todd Monken value most at the end of his receiver room?
Since Monken’s arrival, the Browns have turned over about 30 percent of last year’s roster, including midseason additions and players stashed on injured reserve. That number should only continue to grow as Cleveland works to trim its training camp roster from 90 players to an initial 53.
The team’s fifth wide receiver will have to love football. Monken will be looking for the player most willing to block in the run game, fill a key role on special teams (preferably as a returner), and be versatile enough to step in if one of the top four wideouts goes down with an injury.
The WR5 battle isn’t about glory. It’s about the grind, which could lend itself to some undrafted players generating buzz early in camp.
Some sleeper candidates for the role include 2026 UDFAs Aaron Anderson and Kole Wilson. Browns fans will also be familiar with names like Jamari Thrash and Luke Floriea who both could have an outside shot of making the roster if they ball out in camp.
Those four players face an uphill climb, though, and will most likely sign on with practice squads either with Cleveland or elsewhere.
The four main contenders for the Browns’ WR5 job check specific boxes for Monken, and the margins will be incredibly slim once the pads come on later this month.
The top contenders for Browns’ WR5 spot
Cedric Tillman
Why he can win the job: The Browns invested a third-round pick in Tillman during the 2023 draft, and there have been flashes of brilliance over his three-year tenure. In one three-game stretch during the 2024 season, Tillman was targeted 32 times and caught 21 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns. From a pure talent and production standpoint, he’s the Browns’ clear No. 5 wide receiver on paper.
Why he can lose the job: His contract. Tillman earned a proven performance escalator for the 2026 season, bumping his base salary from around $1.4 million to $3.6 million. None of that money is guaranteed, though. The Browns could save that full number in cap space via a straight release or trade. For a player who has struggled with injuries and consistent production, Cleveland could decide that $3.6 million is too rich for a No. 5 receiver who’s had a minimal role on special teams to date.
Malachi Corley
Why he can win the job: Scheme fit. While Corley’s stock took a slight hit when the Browns drafted Concepcion, it’s not a bad thing to have two players with similar skill sets. Both Concepcion and Corley are well equipped for pre-snap motion and the quick game, which are Monken staples. Both players should be vying for opportunities in the return game, too, with Concepcion the likely frontrunner on punts and Corley primed for work on kickoffs. Corley returned 21 kickoffs for the Browns during the 2025 season for a team-high 492 yards.
Why he can lose the job: While there are some similarities to Concepcion’s game, Corley projects as more of a gadget player. He relied heavily on schemed touches for his production in 2025, as shown by him having more rushing yards (127) than receiving (79). He’s a versatile player who adds value, but he would have a hard time filling a full-time role if Jeudy, Boston, or Bond went down with an injury.
Gage Larvadain
Why he can win the job: He made the roster last year as a UDFA, and new special teams coach Byron Storer told reporters that Larvadain was one of the top contenders for the Browns’ punt return job. If the Browns decide to take it slow with Concepcion on special teams, Larvadain’s path to the 53-man roster would get clearer.
Why he can lose the job: While he ended up fielding 24 punts for the Browns last season, they were often an adventure. He muffed multiple punts and failed to rip off any explosive returns. Larvadain was among the most inefficient returners in football with just a 7-yard average, and the Browns have enough options to pass on prolonging that failed experiment.
The X-factors that could make or break the Browns’ WR5 battle
Cedric Tillman’s trade market
With Tillman’s contract set to expire after the season, it would make a lot of sense for both sides to explore a trade near the end of training camp. The Browns could save some cap space and recoup a late-round draft pick. Tillman could potentially find a new home with a clearer path to targets.
If the Browns can’t find a trade partner prior to cutdown day, they would likely hold onto Tillman initially to see if any new suitors eventually come to the table. That decision would essentially squeeze out Corley and Larvadain from making the roster, though.
Who wins the main kick returner jobs?
Corley led the Browns in total kick returns last season with 21, followed by Dylan Sampson (15) and Jerome Ford (13). Corley will face some competition in camp, but his experience handling the NFL’s new dynamic kickoff could give him an edge this summer.
Prediction: Malachi Corley edges out Gage Larvadain for Browns’ WR5 role after Cedric Tillman trade
For the record, Tillman is the Browns’ fifth-best receiver until he gets traded. Both sides should be motivated to seek out a deal, but it would be in Cleveland’s best interest to wait until at least mid-August to protect against any freak injuries.
Corley would be the biggest beneficiary of that move, as his special teams chops would be a win-win for the Browns at the bottom of their wide receiver depth chart. Between Sampson, Concepcion, Wallace, and Corley, Cleveland would have all of its return game bases covered. They would also have a pair of talented depth receivers on offense to rotate in where needed.
In terms of a scheme fit for Monken, it doesn’t get much better than Corley. The former third-round pick of the Jets has everything to gain entering training camp, which starts on July 28 when the full team reports to Berea.
Tillman will still enter camp as the favorite, though, and this competition could be effectively over if Cleveland can't find a trade partner.
Fight card: WR5
- Leader: Cedric Tillman
- Top challengers: Malachi Corley, Gage Larvadain
- Projected winner: Corley
- Confidence level: 3.5 out of 5
— The next Dawg Fight: RB3 (Thursday, July 16)
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