Friday was the final practice at The Greenbrier in West Virginia for the Cleveland Browns. They now head back to Berea and will continue their training camp in their home state. They’ll also have their first of six open practices on Sunday, Aug. 4.
Cleveland’s first preseason game will be six days later when they host the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 10. As they prepare for their first exhibition, let’s take a look at three players who were standouts during their time in West Virginia.
3. Cedric Tillman, Wide Receiver
This started during minicamps and continued into training camp. Second-year wide receiver Cedric Tillman arrived for offseason workouts in excellent shape and took advantage of Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy’s absences.
Tillman is a big-bodied wideout who entered the league without a refined route tree. He’s improved dramatically between year one and two and continues to earn praise for his efforts.
There were reports earlier this offseason that Tillman could line up outside opposite Amari Cooper on three-receiver sets with Jerry Jeudy sliding inside. That would mean fewer snaps for Elijah Moore.
Whatever the plan is, Tillman is doing all he can to ensure he’s a part of it.
2. Matt Landers, Wide Receiver
Another receiver who is standing out is Matt Landers, which is more of a surprise than Tillman.
While Tillman was their top pick in 2023, Landers was an offseason signing that hardly made any noise. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Landers looks the part but has struggled to make an impact. He played for three different colleges before going undrafted in 2023. As a rookie, he was with the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers. For good measure, he was with two separate UFL teams.
Now in Cleveland, he’s using his size and speed to his advantage and has made several highlight-reel plays.
It’s not going to be easy for Landers to make the 53-man roster in Cleveland. They have a deep stable of receivers and could already be forced to release a promising player in David Bell. Even with that being the case, Landers is doing all he can to make an impression.
1. Martin Emerson, Jr., Cornerback
This one shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who has watched Martin Emerson over the past couple of seasons. The third-round pick from Mississippi State has developed into one of the top corners in the league and has had no problem going up against any wideout.
That’s been the case during camp as he’s been battling it out with Amari Cooper. Both players have had their share of wins but Emerson has been able to stop the veteran receiver on multiple occasions.
the MJ vs. Coop matchup has been pure cinema 🍿 pic.twitter.com/YNfSK3M1FU
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 2, 2024
Emerson will remain the No. 2 cornerback in Cleveland as long as Denzel Ward is under contract. That’s a huge win for the Browns since he’s playing at CB1 level.