Cedric Tillman is going to get a chance.
For the first time this season, Tillman is going to be a part of the New Orleans Saints‘ roster on gameday.
There’s no guarantee of how much he’ll play, but it’s a big step for Tillman on Sunday.
Here’s some of what you need to know about the decision.
Saints’ Cedric Tillman Roster Move
The Saints chose to elevate Tillman from the practice squad for the Week 5 game on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Tillman has been on the practice squad since prior to Week 1, but he hadn’t yet been elevated, which means he hasn’t yet played in a game for the Saints.
His elevation means he is set to be active and on the field for New Orleans.
A player can be elevated three times in a season. Once that three elevations has been reached, for a player to continue being active on gameday, he has to be signed up to the 53-man roster.
Tillman’s roster move was coupled with a release of Kevin Austin Jr., who had previously been one of the Saints’ five active wideouts.
How Saints Got Cedric Tillman
The Saints picked up Tillman at the end of the preseason from the Browns.
The Browns had let Tillman go from their murky WR depth chart that got pretty crowded with young players, and the Saints claimed him.
At the time, it seemed like the Saints have more immediate plans for Tillman, but he has waited on the practice squad until Week 5.
Saints WR Depth Chart
The Saints are set to have five WRs active for Week 5.
Chris Olave remains the No. 1 and has been incredibly consistent. A mid-week injury doesn’t look set to hamper him on Sunday.
Devaughn Vele has been a great No. 2 WR, particularly while the Saints await the return of first-round rookie Jordyn Tyson.
The Saints have mostly used the rookie Bryce Lance as their third wideout.
Barion Brown is also active on gamedays, and he handles most returns while also getting some gadget plays on offense.
Tillman should be in the mix for some snaps, and he’d be a more natural replacement for one of the first three wideouts if they got injured than the specialist Brown.
Given that the Saints had to cut Austin to move Tillman up, that at least suggests somewhat that they might have legitimate plans for his usage. It’ll be interesting to watch how Tillman fits in with his new team.
Saints’ Cedric Tillman Decision Changes WR Depth Chart