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Cedric Tillman #19 of the Cleveland Browns

Over the weekend, the Cleveland Browns made a move on the contract of left tackle Dawand Jones, cutting the projected non-guaranteed $3.6 million deal he was set to receive for a guarantee at a much smaller number–$1.5 million, with a little more than $1.1 million guaranteed. It’s a significant cut, but if ensures Jones a good payout even if he does not make the team. Now, wide receiver Cedric Tillman could find himself in the same boat.

Tillman, like Jones, is heading into his fourth season and, like Jones, has struggled to stay healthy and show consistent improvement during his brief NFL career. He played 14 games as a rookie and 11 in his second season. Last year, Tillman played just 13 games because of a hamstring injury and finished with 21 catches for 270 yards.

He has something else in common with Jones–despite having been drafted (third-rounder in 2023), he is not a sure bet to stay on the roster in 2026.

Browns Contract Change Makes Keeping Cedric Tillman Easier

So, taking a pay cut helps secure guaranteed money for Tillman from the Browns, but also makes him more of a palatable guy to keep when it comes time to make roster decisions. Keeping a fringe receiver at $1.5 million works better for the team than keeping a $3.6 million one.

ESPN’s Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi notes that the Jones contract move probably will come for Tillman, too.

He wrote no Twitter/X: “Cedric Tillman and Isaiah McGuire also reached the Level One PPE and are set to earn non-guaranteed $3.6 million salaries this season. Wouldn’t be surprised to see a similar move with Tillman after Cleveland drafted two receivers with top-40 picks.”

Browns Receivers Massively Flawed

Indeed, if all works out as expected, the Browns will feature a much different receiver room than they had last year, which is ideal because the team sported the worst receiving crew in the NFL in 2025.

It’s still a flawed group because it will rely on Jerry Jeudy to have a bounce-back year, and when your WR1 is a fingers-crossed situation, that’s a bad sign. But the rest of the room now will be bolstered by speedy first-round pick KC Concepcion from Texas A&M and second-round pick Denzel Boston, who was projected by many to be a first-rounder.

The Browns are hoping that a year of development from last year’s UDFA signing, Isaiah Bond, will push him forward, quickly. The Browns added three UDFA options this year, too, in Aaron Anderson form LSU, Ja’Naylon Dupree from Jackson State and Kole Wilson from Baylor.

Rookies Will Lead Rebuild

But the investment in Boston and Concepcion will, the Browns hope, make the biggest impact. And Boston, at 6-foot-4 thinks he will make a good complement to the 5-foot-11 Concepcion–the same kind of pairing the Browns hoped for with Jeudy and Tillman.

“I think that having a taller receiver and you got someone that,” Boston said. “We got two different receivers. I can take off the top when it comes to the 50/50 catches and everything, but, you know, he could do that too. We’re both great red zone threats. I think with our duo together, his quickness and my size and everything, I think we’re going to be able to do great things.”