The Cleveland Browns have locked up one of their key defenders for the upcoming 2026 season. The team has agreed on a one-year deal with safety Ronnie Hickman on Thursday.
This is a somewhat odd contractual situation for Hickman, but Daniel Oyefusi broke down all the details.
“Ronnie Hickman has officially signed his RFA tender. The April 17 deadline for Hickman to sign an offer sheet with another team has passed. He’ll play out the one-year deal and will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season,” Oyefusi posted on X.
Ronnie Hickman has officially signed his RFA tender. The April 17 deadline for Hickman to sign an offer sheet with another team passed. He’ll play out the one-year deal and will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season. https://t.co/6DKiMx1UPi
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) June 11, 2026
Hickman officially signs a one-year, $3.5 million deal as a restricted free agent to stay with the Browns for the 2026 season. Hickman will become an unrestricted free agent during the 2027 offseason. He was given an opportunity to sign an offer sheet with another team, but will instead head back to Cleveland.
The Browns picked up Hickman as an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2023. Given his undrafted status, the Browns can tender a second-round qualifying offer. Hickman will now play out his final year in Cleveland before likely heading to free agency.
The 24-year-old became a full-time starter with the Browns this past season. Before this, Hickman was mainly a rotational player during his first two years in Cleveland. He took over the starting safety role last season and did a good job as the starter.
Through 17 games, Hickman recorded 103 tackles, seven passes defended, and two interceptions this past season. He was given a chance to prove himself, and Hickman showed he can be a reliable option in the secondary.
The expectation is that Hickman is going to be the starting free safety to begin next season. He has earned the right to start, but he probably won’t be the long-term solution. The Browns selected Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the second round of this year’s draft.
The Browns want to give the rookie safety time to adjust, so he’ll likely begin the year as a rotational player. The organization is hopeful that McNeil-Warren can take the next step and become a starter on this defense.
Hickman is back for the 2026 season, but that might be his last as a member of the Browns organization.
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