Ronnie Hickman: Everything you need to know

The Browns are expected to place a second-round restricted tender on Hickman, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. Fowler notes the Hickman is an extension candidate, but the move would keep the Ohio State product under contract for the 2026 season. Hickman stepped into a larger role for the Browns during the 2025 regular season, when he played every single defensive snap in 14 of 17 games and compiled 103 tackles (51 solo) and seven pass defenses (two interceptions).

In a statement released by the Browns on Monday, the team announced Hickman was the victim of an assault early Monday morning and was treated for minor injuries at a New York City hospital, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports. Hickman has already been released from the hospital and is at home recovering, the Browns added in their statement. It doesn't sound like the safety is dealing with anything serious. Hickman started all 17 regular-season games for Cleveland during the 2025 campaign and finished with a career-high 103 tackles (51 solo) and seven pass breakups, including two interceptions.

Hickman logged a career-high 103 tackles and two interceptions (seven passes defensed) over 17 regular-season games in 2025. Hickman played 98.48 percent of the defensive snaps in his first season as a starting free safety in the NFL. Pro Football Focus graded him at 75.3 in coverage and 71.6 overall, topping all members of Cleveland's secondary. Hickman, who was an undrafted free agent in 2023, enters the offseason as a restricted free agent, and the Browns are expected to run him back for 2026.