MONDAY, 9:23am: Hicks’ two-year contract with the Bears is worth $10MM, with $5.5MM guaranteed, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links).
Most of Hicks’ guarantee comes in the form of a $1MM signing bonus, a guaranteed $1MM base salary for 2016, and a $3MM roster bonus due later this month. The defensive lineman also has up to $700K in annual playing-time and sacks incentives, plus an annual $250K in Pro Bowl incentives.
SUNDAY, 9:12pm: The Bears and free agent defensive lineman Akiem Hicks have agreed to a two-year contract, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Financial details are not yet available.
Hicks is the third significant front seven addition the Bears have made this week, joining linebackers Danny T
revathan and Jerrell Freeman. The four-year veteran has been a role player throughout his career (33 starts, 9.5 sacks in 61 games), but he’s coming off a breakout season with the Patriots. After the Pats acquired him from New Orleans last fall, Hicks totaled three sacks in 13 regular-season games and earned positive marks for his performance from Pro Football Focus. The site (subscription required) ranked Hicks as its 14th-best D-tackle and awarded him high grades for the pass-rushing and run-stopping abilities he displayed. The 26-year-old is likely to serve primarily as an end in Chicago, which differs from New England in running a 3-4 base defense.
Hicks entered the NFL as a third-round pick in 2012, when current Bears general manager Ryan Pace and personnel director Josh Lucas were members of the Saints’ front office. By adding Hicks, the Bears have kept him from the NFC North rival Lions – who were reportedly “working to secure” Hicks as of Friday. The 318-pounder subsequently visited the Bears, who were able to beat out Detroit for his services.
With Hicks, Trevathan and Freeman in the fold, the Bears’ defense looks much more formidable on paper than last year’s unit, which finished 14th in the league in yardage, 20th in points and a horrid 31st in DVOA during a 6-10 campaign.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The BEARS have the best defensive line and ILB duo in the league in 2016. This should result in a lot interceptions on the back in. I expect The Bears to compete for the NFC a North this season. They split with the Packers last season with a rebuilding team. They were swept by the Vikings and Lions. They’ll beat the Lions minus Megatron and should at least split with the Vikings.
As I been saying all along if the bears add to the DL an LB , CB an S the turn around will be monster est , now the new additions Danny, Freeman and Hicks are all locked up , they addressed the CB position by being back Porter , in my earlier post I said the bears will and should tackle these areas with these players ,Danny at LB , Jackson at DL, Sean Smith at CB but as we know the bears did something similar and saved a little money in the process , signing an OT massie , one of the Best LB duos in the NFL in Danny an Freeman and also attacking the DL with a big upgrade there as well with Hicks , well done Chicago well played , now on to the draft in which my productions still remain , 1st over all DE Buckner monster if he slides to us but I still see Chicago going aggressive here with a proven pass rushing difference maker here , 2nd since LB is no longer an issue I see Chicago going CB staying defense 3rd QB here need to start working on Jay replacement , 4th WR last year we were hurt by injuries look for the bears to add much needed depth here at the WR position , 5th I see a safety here it’s not to late to find a gem per say or a diamond in the ruff here remember last yr Amos this yr could be his partner at Penn St at safety keep an eye open he’s a hitter , 6th I see again much needed depth here and go TE with Bennett unsure we need to add to the position , 6th CB , 7th dangerous..RB , 9th WR or TE…
Now all they have to do is finish what they started with the upgrade they are scary but with some extra pieces they can be very dangerous ……if ur a QB in the NFC north without a run game you will be running for your life because the Monsters of the Midwayhear back and better then ever good luck Bridgewater, Stanford, and Rodgers … We rode in on the Vikings ship ,went hunting threw the loins den to have some meat with our grilled cheese heads, after all that hard work the big bear had to do , u can find him in the tree, with eating honey out of Lombardi trophy..,..
#Beardown
Hicks was solid with the Patriots this year and will be missed. Moving on to……