Browns WR room, offense and team success could soar if Tillman takes next step and stays healthy
The Cleveland Browns have not given their fanbase a lot of reasons for optimism going into the 2025 NFL season but, if you look hard enough, you can see how the results could be much better than currently expected. While the Browns defense can bounce back, and even take another step forward this season, if Cleveland’s offense is as bad as it was last year, it may not matter.
If Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders (or both) look amazing to start training camp, the positive vibes might start to roll, but the offense needs more than a quarterback. The offensive line has to come together, the Nick Chubb-less running back room has to make a name for itself, Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees need to develop a high-quality offense and the pass catchers, beyond Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku, have to make an impact.
That starts with Cedric Tillman.
In many ways, Tillman gets a little more focus than a normal third-round pick because he was the Browns first selection in the 2023 NFL draft. While his numbers look similar in his first two seasons (2023: 44 targets, 21 catches, 224 yards, 0 TDs vs 2024: 49 targets, 29 catches, 339 yards, 3 TDs), Tillman played in three fewer games last year with over 170 fewer snaps in his second season.
In back-to-back games last season, after Amari Cooper was traded away, Tillman had 15 receptions for 180 yards. The big-bodied, explosive receiver put himself in a position to have his breakout season in 2024 before a concussion shut him down after Week 12.
A look at where Tillman was successful fits his size and explosive nature; Man-to-man coverage, “open space,” and contested catches:
Cedric Tillman 2024 #ReceptionPerception Profile is now up on the site
Some highlights:
– Thrived once given true X-receiver alignment
– 70.2% success rate vs. man coverage
– Notable contested catch and “in space” resultsTillman’s strong stretch in the middle of the season… pic.twitter.com/dyLOX7TCwu
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) June 11, 2025
In the four games between when Cooper was traded and when he was hurt, Tillman combined for 24 catches and 302 yards. Extrapolated over a 16-game season (assuming at least one game missed for injury or Cleveland having locked up a playoff spot), the third-year pro would have over 90 catches and just over 1,200 yards if he kept that rate up.
That is almost exactly Jeudy’s stat line from last year (90 catches, 1,229 yards).
The Browns are unlikely to throw the ball as much as they did in 2024 which could impact Tillman’s overall numbers but, if Stefanski and Rees can use him in areas he excels best, the Tennessee Volunteers product could give whoever is the starting quarterback a perfect compliment to a strong run game, Jeudy and Njoku.
Given his success rates as well as stats after the Cooper trade and before his concussion, do you think Tillman is set to really break out this season? If so, what are your expectations for him and the offense?
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