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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski made at least one big change to try to jump start the offense by handing over play-calling to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. The offense will get another boost this week when wide receiver Cedric Tillman returns. The Browns designated Tillman to return from injured reserve on Monday. He missed the last four games with a hamstring injury. More Cleveland Browns coverage Why Wyatt Teller hopes to retire a Cleveland Brown amid trade rumors, losing season Packers star out for season after knee injury: Report Browns search for answers on offense & potential trades: Monday’s Sports 4 CLE “I thought Ced looks really good,” Stefanski said after the team held an abbreviated practice coming out of their bye week. “I think he’s worked very hard in his rehab, so it looks like he’ll be good to go, barring anything coming up this week.” Tillman last played in the Browns’ loss to the Lions in Week 4. He caught one pass for six yards. In the three games before that, the Browns’ No. 2 receiver had 10 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns — the only two touchdown catches by a Browns wide receiver this season. “(Getting hurt) was frustrating,” Tillman said. “Obviously it’s tough watching, want to help the team out, but I’m back now, going to do everything I can to stay healthy for this team, for this organization and give it my all.” Injuries have been a consistent issue for Tillman. Last season, Tillman had the best stretch of his short career cut short by a concussion. In five games between Weeks 7 and 12, he caught 26 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. He left the Browns’ Thursday night win against Pittsburgh and didn’t return for the remainder of the season. This season, the Browns showed enough faith in Tillman —picked No. 74 overall in 2023 — to make him their No. 2 receiver. He started the year with five catches for 52 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals in Week 1. Despite playing in only four games, Tillman is tied with rookie Isaiah Bond for second among Browns wide receivers with 11 catches. He’s only 16 yards behind Bond in receiving yards by a Browns wide receiver with 106. Maybe Tillman isn’t lighting it up, but on an offense that at times has turned back the clock to before the forward pass. “Ced’s a good player,” Stefanski said. “He’s made a lot of plays for us over his career, so it would be a big boost if we can get him out there.” The Browns currently have one of the worst passing attacks in the league, ranking last in passing yards per play and 29th in passing yards per game — a stat that’s even worse than it looks when you consider how often they have been behind and forced to throw. They already made a quarterback change, turning the offense over to rookie Dillon Gabriel in Week 4 and trading Joe Flacco to Cincinnati a few days into Week 5. Tillman is hopeful he can help jump-start things on that side of the ball. “As a competitor, definitely frustrating, but I know all the ball catchers are frustrated, so obviously I’m going to do what I do,” he said. “Like I said, try to play my hardest, a hundred percent, but as a team we all just have to execute.” He’ll certainly add size to the receiving corps. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he’ll be a welcome addition to a group whose next tallest receiver is Jerry Jeudy at 6-foot-1. He might help take some of the pressure off Jeudy, too, who has struggled a season after he had his breakout in 2024. Tillman is also a willing blocker in the run game — a key component for a team that wants to run the ball. “Just bringing that big body receiver, get some more size out there,” Tillman said. “I feel like I can make some plays for this team and stuff like that, so I feel like we’ve got another playmaker out there and also someone that’s going to help in the run game.” The Browns are welcoming Tillman back at just the right time, when the offense needs all the help it can get.
