Former Tennessee Vols wide receiver Cedric Tillman, a third round selection by the Cleveland Browns in the 2023 NFL Draft, didn't have quite the rookie season that he was probably hoping for.
Tillman played in 14 games for the Browns last season, catching 21 passes for 224 yards.
Modest production for a rookie -- though sticking on a 53-man roster for the entire year is an accomplishment in its own right (most football players will never be able to say that). Tillman, however, was undoubtedly hoping to make more of an impact as a rookie.
But just because Tillman didn't put up crazy numbers as a rookie doesn't mean the coaching staff is down on him. In fact, it's quite the opposite.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters this week that Tillman's had a "really nice offseason".
"Very excited about Ced," said Stefanski. "You know, guys come into the league in different stages of their maturation, whether it's as a person or as a player. I think Ced continues to get better physically, and I do think just the things that he does in our offense, he's one year more comfortable in everything we're doing. So he's had a really nice offseason."
It wasn't just Stefanski that offered praise for Tillman this week. Browns starting quarterback Deshaun Watson also spoke highly of the former Vol while speaking with reporters.
"Till, he's been working," said Watson. "He's been working really hard, and you can see it. He's been improving. He's knowing what he has got to do on each and every rep. He can play different positions, he can run all the routes, he can catch the big boy balls. You can toss it up to him, and he can catch the tough ones and the easy ones. So, I think he's going to be a great addition for this offense and he's going to help us."
Tillman, who played at Tennessee from 2018 to 2022, is battling to be the No. 4 wide receiver on Cleveland's depth chart in 2024, behind Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and Elijah Moore.
