Andrew Berry has taken copious amounts of flak — for good reason — after his mismanagement of the Browns over the last few seasons has led to the franchise's currently grim reality. It hasn't all been bad, though, and his acquisition of undrafted diamond-in-the-rough Ronnie Hickman is among his greatest hits as a general manager.
Hickman, a restricted free agent, had the Browns place a second-round tender on him, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. This means that the Browns would have the right to match any offer Hickman receives from another team, or be compensated with a second-round pick if they decide to let him go. If no team tries to sign Hickman away, he will play on a one-year $5.8 million contract in 2026.
While the competition wasn't exactly stiff, Hickman stands head and shoulders above the rest of his rookie classmates. His improvement year-over-year warrants this kind of investment from the Browns — and it's important to note that the Browns are not precluded from replacing this tender with a multi-year contract if they see fit.
Ronnie Hickman was the saving grace of a forgettable class
The 2023 draft was not particularly kind to the Browns. They didn't select in the first round, as that pick initially went to the Texans as part of the Deshaun Watson trade. Their second-round pick was sent to the Jets in return for wide receiver Elijah Moore and the Jets' third-round pick. With the caveat that Berry is still responsible for not having those picks to use, the seven players the Browns wound up drafting have not amounted to much in the NFL.
They selected wide receiver Cedric Tillman and defensive tackle Siaki Ika in the third round. Tillman still clings to a roster spot, but his presence is tenuous. Ika was released after one season and has bounced around practice squads since. With their two fourth-round picks, they nabbed offensive tackle Dawand Jones and EDGE Isaiah McGuire. Each has had promising moments and remains on hand for the Browns. It wouldn't be fair to call them draft busts.
With his two fifth-round selections, Berry drafted quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and cornerback Cameron Mitchell, two players who accomplished little of note in Cleveland and have since moved on. Finally, in the sixth round, they selected center Luke Wypler. The former Buckeye remains rostered as a reserve.
Hickman, on the other hand, has exceeded any reasonable expectations of an undrafted free agent. He's piled up 178 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, 11 passes defensed, and three interceptions in his three-year run with the Browns. He earned his way up from a reserve to a starter in 2025 and rewarded the Browns with exceptional play in the secondary.
His 71.6 PFF Grade ranks 22nd out of 91 qualifiers at the safety position, and the folks at Pro Football Reference credited him with a sterling 78.7 passer rating allowed in his coverage area. Hickman has squarely placed himself as a foundational piece for the Browns. At only 24 years old, there is no telling what his ceiling could be.
Andrew Berry should take the bird in the hand and sign Hickman to a long-term deal early. Hickman has more than earned his payday.