Cedric Tillman is currently owed a base salary of $3.61MM in 2026 thanks to the Proven Performance Escalator. Whether or not he remains on the Browns to collect it this season remains to be seen.
Tillman “certainly is on the roster bubble” entering training camp, Zac Jackson of The Athletic writes. Adding at the receiver position was known to be a priority entering the 2026 offseason, and Cleveland has indeed been active on that front. The team brought in a familiar face to Todd Monken during free agency in the form of Tylan Wallace. He is set to handle a notable special teams role with Cleveland.
The Browns expectedly used their top pick on an addition along the offensive line (Spencer Fano). After that, though, Cleveland turned to the WR spot. KC Concepcion was selected at No. 24, while Denzel Boston came off the board at No. 39. Boston in particular is positioned to operate as a key boundary receiver, representing a contrast to Conception and returning WR1 Jerry Jeudy. That does not guarantee Tillman will be looking for a new home this summer, Jackson confirms, but it will make for a pressure-filled training camp.
Drafted in the third round in 2023, Tillman has totaled 19 starts with Cleveland. 10 of those came in 2025, but across 13 appearances he was unable to improve on his production from the previous year. The 26-year-old has yet to top 29 catches, 339 yards or three touchdowns in a season so far. The influx of new options at the receiver spot in general and Boston in particular will add competition for roster spots.
Jackson writes Jeudy, Wallace, the two rookies and Isaiah Bond – who showed flashes as a deep threat last season – can be considered locks barring injury this summer. That will leave Tilman as one of several receivers looking to claim a limited number of other places on the 53-man roster. If Cleveland elects to move on, cutting the Tennessee product would yield $3.67MM in cap savings while generating just $270K in dead money.
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