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Cleveland Browns receiver Cedric Tillman may end up on the trade block.
The Cleveland Browns suddenly have real depth at wide receiver, which could create a difficult situation for Cedric Tillman.
Tillman entered the offseason looking for a larger role in a contract year. Instead, the Browns added two high-end rookies in KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, while Isaiah Bond has generated buzz as a potential breakout candidate. That has left Tillman fighting for space in a room that looks very different from what it did a year ago.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com recently pointed to Tillman as a potential odd man out if Cleveland’s top four receivers stay healthy and continue trending upward.
“With Concepcion, the No. 24 overall pick, and Boston, the No. 39 overall pick, working so much with the starters and Isaiah Bond poised for a breakout year, Cedric Tillman (6-2, 215) could be the odd man out in the corps,” Cabot said. “He’s had a nice spring, but it’s clear he’s taken a back seat to the top four in Jeudy, Bond, Concepcion and Boston, and that Boston (6-4, 215) has surpassed him as the Browns’ big body receiver who excels at the contested catch.”
Cabot added that if the depth chart holds through camp, the Browns could “possibly try to trade Tillman and get something in return for their 2023 third-round pick out of Tennessee.” Jamari Thrash — a former fifth-round pick — could also be on the move.
Tillman has shown flashes in Cleveland but has never fully found a rhythm. The Browns selected him in the third round in 2023, hoping his size, physicality and contested-catch ability would translate into a steady outside role. He finished his rookie year with 21 catches for 224 yards, then followed with 29 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 2024. Last season, he had 21 catches for 270 yards and two touchdowns while missing time with injuries.
The Browns used premium picks on both Boston and Concepcion, giving Cleveland a pair of young targets with different skill sets. Concepcion brings explosiveness, yards-after-catch ability and versatility. Boston gives the Browns another big-bodied target with the size to win in tight windows and contested-catch situations. Receivers coach Christian Jones said both rookies came into the offseason program with the right approach.
“They’ve done a good job,” Jones said on the final day of mandatory minicamp. “KC came in with the right mindset. He was ready to work on what he thought was an issue coming into the draft, which were his drops. Denzel wanted to show everybody what he could do. He was really upset about where the draft landed. They came out and did a really good job. I’m proud of them.”
Jerry Jeudy remains the lead option in Cleveland’s receiver room, even after the Browns spent premium draft capital at the position. Jeudy is coming off a down year — 50 catches for 602 yards and two touchdowns — but the Browns are bullish on him turning things around.
“He’s our bell cow,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said after the draft. “With receiver rooms, you can have maybe a ball dominant player or you can essentially build a basketball team with different skill sets. We prefer the second approach.”
The question is whether the Browns have the quarterback play to make their newly established depth matter. Cleveland heads into training camp without a settled answer between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. Watson is trying to reclaim the starting job after missing last season, while Sanders is pushing to prove he can be the long-term answer.
The Browns can feel better about their receiver room, but that group’s ceiling will still depend heavily on who wins the job and how quickly the quarterbacks — and offense as a whole — find consistency.
J.R. DeGroote Browns beat writer for Heavy.com. Covering the NFL and NBA since 2019. ASU Cronkite grad. More about J.R. DeGroote
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