The Las Vegas Raiders may have made major improvements this offseason, but their roster is still far from complete. Glaring issues on both sides of the ball cast doubt on the team's 2026 outlook. But a low-cost solution to one of Klint Kubiak's most pressing needs just became available.
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Cleveland Browns are releasing wide receiver Cedric Tillman, their third-round pick from 2023 NFL Draft. We have written about Tillman as a potential option before, and now, he's officially available. He should be on the waiver wire, where Las Vegas gets first dibs.
Tillman may not be the superstar receiver to turn the Raiders' offense into a juggernaut, but he would help alleviate some of the concerns surrounding the wide receiver room. John Spytek should already be working to bring him in.
Newly-released WR Cedric Tillman makes too much sense for Raiders to pass up
Tillman has never reached his full potential with the Browns, but who has?. In three seasons, he has recorded a total of 71 catches for 833 yards and five touchdowns. His best campaign came in 2024, when he logged 339 yards in a short span before suffering a season-ending injury.
The now-former Browns wideout has struggled to stay on the field throughout his career, never playing in more than 13 games in a season. He was squeezed out of Cleveland's wide receiver room after the Browns spent two early draft picks on the position this offseason.
Still, he could play a prominent role in Las Vegas. At 6-foot-3, he can be the ball-winning "X" receiver that the Raiders currently lack. Tillman has lined up on the outside on over 70% of his snaps in the last two seasons, and he's pulled in over 60% of his contested catch opportunities in that time.
But Tillman also has alignment versatility, as he's played roughly one-third of his NFL snaps in the slot. And while he's only entering his fourth season, Tillman does have more NFL experience than any Raiders wide receiver not named Tre Tucker or Jalen Nailor.
His style of play could mesh perfectly with Fernando Mendoza's skill set. The first-overall draft pick consistently trusted his receivers to make contested catches at Indiana, relying on back-shoulder throws on third downs.
Brock Bowers can certainly haul some of those passes in, but that style of play doesn't suit most of the Raiders' other receivers. Tillman would offer Mendoza a third-down outlet whenever he gets one-on-one coverage.
Not to mention, Tillman was born in Las Vegas and went to Bishop Gorman High School with Nailor. Surely, he can give the front office valuable information about his former teammate, and Tillman would quickly get comfortable again in his hometown.
The Raiders won't be the only team interested in the former Browns wideout. While his production has been limited so far in his career, it's clear that Tillman belongs on an NFL roster. For Mendoza's sake, the big receiver needs to become the newest addition in Las Vegas.
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