The Cleveland Browns’ roster looks a lot different heading into the 2026 NFL season than it did heading into 2025. They’ve made significant changes at marquee positions, which are slated to make an impact both in the long and short-term.
The Browns’ offense has been their biggest downfall over the past several years, and they weren’t shy about addressing their holes. They turned to free agency, trades, and the draft to bulk up that side of the ball, most aggressively pursuing wide receivers and offensive linemen.
In fact, two of the Browns’ first three picks this year were wideouts, going after KC Concepcion in the first and Denzel Boston in the second. Because they used significant capital on these players, the pressure is on for the Browns’ current receiving corps to step it up, which is what insider Dan Labbe talked about in a recent episode of “Orange and Brown Talk.”
He believes that that is a make-or-break season for Cedric Tillman.
“Ced’s got to show something this year, because that’s a position where the Browns have invested a lot, and they brought in a guy who looks and plays like Ced Tillman,” Labbe said.
Labbe didn’t mince words when it came to Cedric Tillman, a player entering his fourth season who hasn’t lived up to the expectations of being a third-round pick. For whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to establish himself as an alpha-type player, which hasn’t helped his stock within the organization.
To date, Tillman hasn’t had a season with more than 400 receiving yards, and if he’s not careful, 2026 could signal the beginning of the end of his time in Cleveland. As Labbe noted, Boston is a similar player to Tillman, and the Browns used second-round capital on him. If the rookie quickly proves that he’s outworking the veteran Tillman, things could change rapidly.
It will be interesting to see what the target share looks like for this team in 2025, especially after the exit of David Njoku. The Browns weren’t afraid to target their tight ends last year, but without the safety net of Njoku, they’ll have to go elsewhere. If Tillman is the recipient of more targets early, it could be a make-or-break year depending on what he does with them.
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