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What Browns players emerged from minicamp as the most intriguing heading to training camp?
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- What Browns players emerged from minicamp as the most intriguing heading to training camp?
BEREA — There can be a tendency to put too much weight on what is seen from players during the NFL's offseason . There's often a trap many fall into to be wowed by the athleticism and not understand the context.
That said, it doesn't mean you can't find flashes from a player that are worth filing away for future reference. That's what the program is for, anyways, even for the teams themselves.
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The Browns wrapped up their offseason program last week with the conclusion of minicamp. They'll start training camp at the end of July.
So who will be some players whose performances over the last few weeks may be the springboard to much bigger things once training camp rolls around? Here are three candidates for the Browns.
Cedric Tillman , wide receiver
Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) catches a pass during minicamp, Thursday, June 13, 2024, in Berea.
The second-year pro may have been one of the biggest beneficiaries from Amari Cooper 's absence throughout the program. That absence opened the door for Tillman to get a lot more reps than he may have received had Cooper been there. It went beyond that to the fact that Tillman was, according to coach Kevin Stefanski, present for every single day of the program. That gave him opportunities to also gain mental reps, which was something that gets overlooked, especially with younger players like Tillman. A year ago, Tillman had just 21 catches for 244 yards, and struggled at times with routes and other technical aspects of the game. What he did in the offseason program may have helped to close that gap going into training camp.
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Martin Emerson Jr., cornerback
Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) celebrates after breaking up a pass intended for David Njoku during minicamp Thursday in Berea.
This isn't about a player who's trying to establish himself. This is about a player who appears on the cusp of breaking out into stardom. Emerson has gone from people questioning why the Browns used their first pick in the 2022 draft to take the cornerback out of Mississippi State to people calling him arguably one of the best cornerbacks in press coverage in the entire league. The third-year pro has looked like a player far from content, and even talked about using his disappointing showing in the Browns' wild card loss in Houston as added motivation. If Emerson can take the next step this season, he could be setting himself up for a big pay day going into his contract year in 2025.
Juan Thornhill , safety
Browns safety Juan Thornhill (1) celebrates after a win over the New York Jets on Dec. 28, 2023, in Cleveland.
Thornhill was one of the Browns' big free-agent signings in 2023. He may have also had one of the most disappointing seasons in 2023, brought on by a calf injury that hampered him throughout the season. Thornhill was limited to just 11 regular-season and the one postseason game, but never seemed to be the playmaking safety he was thought to be at signing. While he wasn't at the OTAs, Thornhill was an active participant in minicamp, flying around the field. He also was leading the charge when it came to providing the emotional energy. Now, can he do all of that when it actually matters?
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Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns trio among most intriguing coming out of minicamp
