3 Browns Players To Watch Closely In Second Half

Here are three Cleveland Browns players to monitor during the second half of the NFL season.

Oct 20, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II (20) interferes with Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) on a pass play during the first half at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

For all intents and purposes, the Cleveland Browns' season is effectively over. They are just 1-6, Deshaun Watson is out for the year and they aren't making the playoffs.

However, that does not mean the Browns will be entirely unwatchable the rest of the way.

It's time to start focusing on the future, and there are several players on Cleveland's roster who could establish themselves as a part of the long-term solution.

Here are three Browns players to watch during the second half of the 2024 NFL season.

Cedric Tillman, WR

Cedric Tillman was apparently so impressive during the early stages of training camp that there was a rumor he could potentially supplant Elijah Moore as the No. 3 receiver.

That clearly has not happened, as Tillman has logged just 11 catches for 90 yards this season. However, eight of those receptions and 80 of those yards came during the Browns' Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

And what happened early last week? Amari Cooper was traded.

Some new playing time may have opened up for Tillman, who will now have a new quarterback throwing him the football.

Tillman was targeted 12 times against the Bengals, which nearly doubled up Moore (seven) and was significantly higher than new No. 1 receiver Jerry Jeudy (five).

Perhaps Tillman will become a more integral part of the aerial attack moving forward, especially if Cleveland makes more trades (Moore?) before the Nov. 5 deadline.

Isaiah McGuire, DE

With Alex Wright out for the season, more responsibility has been placed on the shoulders of Isaiah McGuire, who posted six tackles and a half of a sack versus Cincinnati.

On the season overall, McGuire has totaled 12 tackles, but his role is likely about to increase, especially after his performance in Week 7.

And consider this: the Browns may move defensive linemen such as Za'Darius Smith, Shelby Harris, Quinton Jefferson and Maurice Hurst over the next couple of weeks. If any one of those players gets dealt, it will create even more playing time for McGuire.

Cleveland liked McGuire enough to select him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but he only played four games during his rookie campaign.

There is no question that the 23-year-old will see an uptick in snaps as 2024 progresses, and it will be interesting to see how he handles it.

Cameron Mitchell, CB

The Browns boast one of the best cornerback units in football with Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II and Martin Emerson Jr.

However, Newsome is a prime trade candidate, and with Cleveland not having a whole lot of depth behind its top three at the position, Mitchell may end up seeing more burn if Newsome does, in fact, get dealt.

While nothing is guaranteed, it seems hard to imagine Newsome still on the roster next year given that he is due to make $13 million on his 2025 option, which the Browns exercised. Newsome's name was mentioned in trade speculation this past offseason, so if he isn't moved by the deadline, you can bet Cleveland will be shopping him in March.

That means Mitchell—a 2023 fifth-round pick—needs to establish himself as a significant contributor now to get ahead of things.

Mitchell has only played in 25 percent of his team's snaps thus far in 2024 and hardly saw the field at all against the Bengals, but it's up to him to impress more in practice to earn more action.