The Bears have designated Akiem Hicks for return from injured reserve, per a club announcement. Per league rules, the move will allow the defensive tackle to return sometime after the Bears’ Thursday night game against the Cowboys.
Hicks suited up and practiced on Sunday, for the first time since early October. The veteran hasn’t been on the field since suffering an elbow injury in London against the Raiders.
The Pro Bowl defensive tackle is a key cog in Chicago’s elite defense. Last year, he notched 7.5 sacks, a strong follow-up to his career high of 8.5 quarterback takedowns in 2017.
Hicks signed a four year, $48MM extension with the Bears in September of 2017, a deal that included $22MM fully guaranteed at signing. Next year, he’s slated to count for an $11.8MM cap hit, but the Bears could also cut him to save $8.8MM against $3MM in dead money.
At 6-6, the Bears are fighting to hold on to their paper-thin playoff hopes. At minimum, Hicks can solidify his place on the roster with a strong finish to the year. He’ll turn 31 in November of 2020, a year in which he’s slated to count for nearly 6% of the team’s total cap room.
To bad Hicks isn’t coming back just in time for the play offs.
Too bad Hicks didn’t use his time on IR to become a kicker. Bears are getting that desperate.
Tru dat
Hicks is the driving force of this defense. Without him the bears have been hard pressed to stop the run. Wish he was coming back this week to go against Zeke, but we will have to see what Pagano has planned. Still keeping hope alive.
All hope is lost this year, unfortunately.
There is still a scenario that enables the Bears to win the NFC North and host the Packers in a wild card game.