Cedric Tillman's Stock Is On The Rise With The Browns

Cleveland Browns' wide receiver Cedric Tillman is entering his second season in the league and has taken positive strides this offseason.

Nov 19, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) runs the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

As the attention towards the Browns' receiver room solely turns to Amari Cooper and the questions surrounding his looming contract extension, Cedric Tillman still earned some recent praise from his head coach.

Back in 2023, the Cleveland Browns selected Tillman with the 74th pick in the draft. The 6'3" receiver was not only selected to provide depth on the outside, but the organization also hoped for development into a future starting receiver. Last year, Tillman managed to find a path to the field in the second half of the season. The Browns decided to trade Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Detroit Lions, propelling Tillman to increased opportunities.

Tillman's rookie season was truly a mixed-bag of good and bad on the field. He flashed his ability and willingness as a blocker when leveling Baltimore Ravens' outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy. Tillman was also able to snag 21 receptions for 224 yards as a receiving target.

Dec 17, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears safety Eddie Jackson (4) tackles Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during the second half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

On the other side of the coin, Tillman appeared to be on different pages from his quarterbacks at times. As a result, those 21 receptions came on 44 targets. Ideally, more efficiency would be desired by the Browns. Some of this falls on the quarterbacks and some on Tillman's route running. In addition to cleaning up his route running this offseason, Tillman needs to find a way to use his size as an advantage in the red zone. Becoming an asset in the red zone will make Tillman very valuable in Cleveland.

So far this offseason, Tillman has had plenty of opportunities in practice due to the absence of Amari Cooper and newly-acquired Jerry Jeudy's injury. Head coach Kevin Stefanski told ESPN that Tillman has made some big strides and taken advantage of his opportunities recently.

"I don't believe Ced missed a day of the offseason program," stated Stefanski. "He was there every single day. I know he got better because of that. And I think he got better in the weight room, got better in the meeting room, definitely got better on the grass."

Although Cooper and Jeudy's absences are not ideal, players like Tillman, Bell and Thrash getting more reps could be a blessing in disguise as they continue to develop.

If Tillman can become a reliable target on the outside, then the Browns' receiver room will be even better in 2024.