Browns To Waive WR Cedric Tillman

The Browns are waiving Tillman, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. A trip to the waiver wire will now take place prior to the looming roster cut deadline as a result. This move will create $3.67MM in cap space while generating a dead money charge of just $270K for Cleveland.

Tillman entered the league as a third-round pick in 2023. Making double-digit appearances every year across his Browns tenure, he logged a snap share of 57% or higher each season with the team. In spite of that regular workload, Tillman has never topped 29 catches or 339 yards in a single campaign. Poor quarterback play is of course a factor on that front, but the Browns’ new coaching staff will move on in this case.

Jerry Jeudy is set to remain a primary figure in Cleveland’s passing game. The team also has a pair of rookies (first-rounder KC Concepcion and second-rounder Denzel Boston) in place to handle a notable workload in 2026 and beyond. Boston in particular could emerge as a deep threat early and often in the NFL, something which no doubt contributed to Cleveland’s decision to part with Tillman. The Tennessee product sports a career yards per catch average of 11.7, and he could look to catch on as a vertical option in another team’s offense.

Plenty of players are set to reach the waiver wire over the coming days as teams sort out their initial 53-man rosters. Tillman could be claimed by a team looking to add receiver depth prior to making cuts. Otherwise, the 26-year-old will clear and become a free agent for the first time in his career. Tillman would find himself navigating a fast-moving market in terms of openings just prior to Week 1 in that case.

The Browns entered Thursday with over $26MM in cap space, so today’s news means they will have additional spending power if a late free agent splash is sought out. As the team moves forward with an offense set to be guided by new head coach Todd Monken and starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, Tillman will seek a fresh start.