Cleveland Browns have one restricted free agent who they absolutely must tender. What about the others?
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Earlier today, we looked at the Cleveland Browns’ exclusive-rights free agents who they need to make a decision on. As free agency approaches for the 2026 league year in the NFL, we also need to look at the Browns’ restricted free agents (RFA).
What are Restricted Free Agents?
These are for players who have at least three years of accrued service in the NFL (i.e. 6 games or more on the roster or IR). The Browns can choose to place a 1st round tender, 2nd round tender, or original round tender on each player.
Over the Cap estimates the 2026 tenders to be $8.107 million for the 1st round tender, $5.811 million for the 2nd round tender, and $3.547 million for original round tenders. Another team can sign a player with a tender, but they would owe that team the corresponding draft pick if the team opts not to match the offer. If these players are not tendered by the start of free agency, they revert to unrestricted free agents.
Which Browns are Exclusive-Rights Free Agents?
- TE Blake Whiteheart
- DE Sam Kamara
- LB Mohamoud Diabate
- S Ronnie Hickman
- CB Sam Webb
Because they involve more commitment, it’s not a slam dunk that teams tender their restricted free agents. In fact, there are times when a team won’t tender any of their restricted free agents. That doesn’t mean they don’t have an interest in the player. They could let some players become unrestricted free agents, and then sign them to a minimum salary deal after that.
When I look at the Browns’ five RFA this year, I first think of the minimum tender they could be given ($3.547 million). There is no scenario in which I see the Browns giving that to TE Blake Whiteheart or CB Sam Webb.
After that, I move to the next tier of players, which are DE Sam Kamara and LB Mohamoud Diabate. I think the team likes what Kamara can offer for depth, but if they are interested in him, he’s the type of player who I think you let hit the open market, and then re-sign him to a minimum deal. Diabate, on the other hand, is a tricky one. The former undrafted free agent has flashed over the past three seasons, and formed a fair complementary trio with Carson Schewisinger and Devin Bush. With Bush’s status uncertain, you probably want to keep Diabate. However, because he went undrafted, Cleveland would receive no draft pick compensation if another team signed him after a Cleveland tender. The benefit Cleveland gets by tendering him is if they fear Diabate doesn’t want to return, but they want to keep him here, in a sense.
And then, there is S Ronnie Hickman. Again, the Browns could negotiate a long-term deal with Hickman, but if we don’t think of that possibility, then a tender is absolutely necessary to keep him, otherwise he could be valued as one of the higher profile free agent safeties on the market. An original round tender isn’t going to cut it, since he went undrafted. Therefore, the Browns would need to tender him with a second round tender ($5.811 million), or even a first round tender ($8.107 million). In those cases, in the off chance another team succeeds in signing him away, at least Cleveland would get a high draft pick back in return. I’m predicting a second-round tender for him.
