Getty Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks has been with the team since 2016.
With the NFL’s two day negotiating period kicking off on March 14, free agency is about to kick into hyper drive, and Chicago Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks is going to be in the middle of it all.
The 32-year-old has spent the last six seasons with the Bears, starting 77 games. He made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and has been widely heralded as the team’s defensive leader since his arrival in 2016. In that time, Hicks amassed 247 total tackles (175 solo, 51 for loss), 88 QB hits, five forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, eight passes defensed and 31.0 sacks.
Adam Jahns of The Athletic reported on January 9 that Hicks had gotten into a “heated and ugly” argument with former defensive line coach Chris Rumph, and with the veteran d-lineman about to hit free agency, the odds of him returning to the Windy City under new head coach Matt Eberflus don’t seem great.
So where could he land? Hicks has been dubbed a great fit for a few teams — one of which is in the Bears’ division.
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Hicks to Minnesota?
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports has the Bears’ NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings projected to sign Hicks to a one-year, $9 million deal, noting it would be easy for Hicks to jump into “a 3-4 defense under new coordinator Ed Donatell.”
Donatell served as Chicago’s defensive backs coach from 2015-2018, and he’s now the defensive coordinator in Minnesota. A reunion there would make sense, and Hicks would have an opportunity to stick it to the Bears twice a year.
Minnesota and QB Kirk Cousins would be glad to have Hicks on their side, as he has 8.5 sacks for a loss of 62.5 yards in his nine games against the Vikings in a Bears uniform.
The Vikes aren’t the only NFC team gaining buzz as a landing spot for the stalwart defender, though.
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Hicks Also Has Bucs Buzz
Carmen Vitali of The Draft Network made a decent pitch for Hicks to head to Tampa Bay:
“Hicks could play the 3-4 end role in a scheme that stresses an interior rotation. That allows for maximum rest—especially if the Buccaneers see fit to add another defensive lineman … Plus, after playing so many years in Chicago, that warm weather doesn’t hurt, either,” Vitali wrote.
The Bucs have since restructured Vea’s contract, converting the bulk of his $10.6 million salary into a signing bonus. The move created $7.64 million in cap space, and could leave room to pay Hicks. They may not need both, but imagine the run-stopping depth Hicks could add.
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen,” Hicks told the Chicago Sun-Times on December 21, as the regular season was winding to a close. “I just know that I’ve got games to play and if I do end up leaving, I’ll miss it here. I truly love my time.”
It’s just as likely Hicks could end up elsewhere, but regardless, he’ll be missed in the Windy City.
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Akiem Hicks Projected to Land With Bears Rival or NFC Contender