Browns cut former third-round pick Cedric Tillman

In theory Tillman could put pressure on the back of the Saints wideout corps. In actuality, if they really thought that, they probably would have signed him to the active roster. Still, with only four healthy wideouts on the roster, Tillman could be elevated early. Zamir White is the other big name on the Saints practice squad and is joined by TE Stone Smartt, DE Fadil Diggs, RB CJ Donaldson, DB TJ Hall Jr., T Alan Herron, T Easton Kilty, WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper, WR Trey Palmer, LB Jackson Sirmon, K Charlie Smyth, DL Jay’Viar Suggs and T Alex Wollschlaeger

Tillman posted a few big games in 2024 and garnered some breakout hype heading into 2025. He struggled to find much of a role, let alone put up decent counting stats, amid another lost season for the Browns. He has been rumored to be a trade candidate heading into his fourth year, but it seems unlikely that any team takes a shot on him at this point. Isaiah Bond is ahead of him on the depth chart and Tillman doesn’t play special teams, making it hard for the Browns to justify keeping him around.

Second-round pick Denzel Boston plays outside — as Tillman has — and Tillman is entering the final year of his rookie contract. We doubt there’s a huge market for Tillman’s services after he played just 13 games last year and wound up with only 270 receiving yards, but he’s shown flashes of talent in the past and could be an interesting reclamation project if the Browns wanted to move on.

Tillman got hot in the middle of 2024, racking up 302 yards and three touchdowns over a four-game stretch before an injury knocked him out for the rest of the season. He was sustaining that momentum into 2025 with a pair of touchdowns in his first two games. That, however, would go on to be his best two-week run of the season. A hamstring issue in Week 4 would land him on injured reserve. He eventually returned to an offense in disrepair and couldn’t make the best of a bad situation. Tillman was held to one or fewer catches in every game from Week 12 onward. He finished the season with a 21/259/2 receiving line. With a career-high of 339 yards after three years, Tillman is closer to being on the roster bubble for 2026 than he is to breaking out.

Tillman didn’t practice either of the first two sessions of the week, but has a chance to play. He doesn’t have much of a fantasy role at this point, as the Browns can only reliably count on Harold Fannin and Jerry Jeudy to deliver actual production. Tillman has not scored since September 14 and hasn’t cracked 55 yards all season.

Tillman is on track to miss the team’s Week 15 game against the Bears, and does not need to be rostered in re-draft formats. The 25-year-old wide receiver has appeared in nine games this season. He has failed to produce even 55 receiving yards in a single one.

Tillman caught one pass for 23 yards versus Tennessee on Sunday. His role was already on the decline before suffering the concussion and rib injuries. He is now a safe bet to miss Week 15 entirely. Isaiah Bond will see an uptick in routes in his absence, though there isn’t much fantasy value to be had in Cleveland outside of Jerry Jeudy and Harold Fannin.

Tillman ran a pass route on 23 of the Browns’ 29 drop backs in a game that saw the run-first Browns throw just 28 passes. Tillman now has seven receptions over his past four games as the WR3 for Cleveland. He should remain on waiver wires ahead of the Browns’ Week 14 game against the Titans.

Tillman led the Browns with three catches for 52 yards in Week 11. He led the receiving room with three targets, tied with Jerry Jeudy, this week but failed to hit on any big plays. The Browns are a run-first team that won’t be projected for many passing yards no matter who starts for them in Week 13. Tillman is not on the fantasy radar versus the 49ers next week.

Tillman led the Browns in receiving and helped QB Dillon Gabriel, pre-concussion, complete the longest pass of his career, going for 26 yards, on the Browns’ fifth drive. Tillman could warrant WR4/FLEX consideration against the Raiders next week, though the big-bodied wide receiver possesses a very low floor.