The Browns went looking for help at cornerback on Thursday, and they found it in a familiar kind of place for this time of year: the waiver wire.
Cleveland claimed veteran Mekhi Blackmon from the Indianapolis Colts as the team tries to stabilize a position group that has thinned out in a hurry. The top of the depth chart is clear enough, with Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell starting and Myles Harden looking set in one of the backup jobs. After that, the picture has gotten messy, especially with Michael Coats Jr. leaving practice this week on a medical cart because of a leg injury.
That has left D’Angelo Ross, Tre Avery and others trying to fill in around the edges, and the Browns moved quickly to add another body with real NFL experience. Blackmon brings a solid resume for a waiver pickup: the Minnesota Vikings took him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he spent two seasons there before landing with the Colts. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 178 pounds, he has appeared in 32 games with 14 starts, piling up 105 tackles, three interceptions, 15 passes defensed and a sack.
Whether that’s enough time for him to stick is the next question. With cutdowns to the initial 53-man roster due by Sunday at 6 p.m., Blackmon has only a short window to make an impression on the coaching staff.
Thursday also brought another roster change, this one on offense. Cleveland released veteran wide receiver Cedric Tillman after three frustrating years with the team. A third-round pick in 2023, Tillman never quite got the chance to build real momentum, with injuries and concussions repeatedly interrupting his progress.
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Greens long-term path is what makes this more than just another camp storyline. There is already speculation that he could be in position to start by the end of the 2026 season, which would add another layer to a quarterback picture that still has to sort out the present before it can make sense of the future. For a franchise that has spent plenty of time trying to find stability under center, even the backup plans now feel like they could shape the next chapter. [Read more 🡒]
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What stands out now is how directly that move fits the broader reset under new head coach Todd Monken. Cleveland is making room for younger receivers such as KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, and the decision to move on from Tillman only reinforces that this offense is being shaped around a different kind of future. [Read more 🡒]
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That search has touched both sides of the ball, with the Browns linked to edge options such as Kayvon Thibodeaux, Josh Sweat, Jacob Martin and Azeez Ojulari while also weighing whether wide receiver David Bell could become a movable piece. Running back depth is another spot under review, which tells you Cleveland is still treating this as a live roster-building period rather than a finished project. [Read more 🡒]