Browns starting linebacker named team's most underrated player

The Browns' linebacker room was hit with immense adversity in 2024 when Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah suffered a serious neck injury after eight games. Cleveland leaned on Owusu-Koramoah to be a steady disruptor for their defense every week, and losing him was a punch to the heart and soul of the unit. In Owusu-Koramoah's absence, Devin Bush and Jordan Hicks saw expanded roles in their first seasons with the team. PFF's Jonathon Macri named Hicks as the team's most underrated player after he filled in very well in his first year with Cleveland. Marci mentioned that Hicks was one of eight linebackers to post a top-25 PFF grade in coverage and run defense, en route to the 20th-best grade of 189 qualified linebackers. Prior to the 2024 season, Hicks signed with Cleveland on a two-year, $8 million deal that included a $3.29 million signing bonus and another $1 million roster bonus that was paid out March 13th of this year. Hicks was a third-round pick of the Eagles out of Texas in 2015, and he was among the league's b