After releasing Kyle Fuller earlier tonight, the Bears are now looking to move on from another veteran defender. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes that the Bears have given defensive lineman Akiem Hicks permission to seek a trade.
Hicks is entering the final year of a four-year, $48MM extension he signed with Chicago in 2017. The 31-year-old is set to earn $10.MM in 2021, and Biggs writes that the defensive lineman would want a “substantial raise” if he’s to be traded. Biggs also notes that the requested extension is “unlikely” to materialize.
Hicks spent the first three-plus seasons of his career with the Saints before getting traded to the Patriots in 2015. He joined the Bears on a two-year deal the following offseason, and he quickly established himself as a starter on Chicago’s defensive line. Hicks compiled 23 sacks for the Bears between the 2016 and 2018 seasons, earning a Pro Bowl nod during that latter campaign.
The veteran was limited to only five games in 2019 after suffering an elbow injury, but he managed to start all 15 of his appearances in 2020. He ultimately finished the campaign having collected 49 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 21 QB hits.
Following the signings of quarterback Andy Dalton and offensive lineman Germain Ifedi (and Allen Robinson‘s decision to opt for the franchise tender), the Bears have been looking for ways to carve out cap space. The team moved on from former All-Pro cornerback Kyle Fuller earlier today.
He’d help the Jets
When a team gives a player permission to seek a trade it means they will release him, sports radio in Chicago is demolishing Pace because he’s clearly incompetent, the bears don’t want the optics of signing Nick Foles dalton and having to release to of their best defensive players on the same day, hicks will be released tomorrow, jets can get him without giving up an asset, every team knows Pace is a moron
Damm I was in Pace corner but Mitch went for 1/2.5 and Fuller cut maybe Hicks who made Mack great and Daulton could’ve compete with Mitch . Let’s talk about the worst GM in the league now plus how many years did trading up one spot cost Bears / that cost us 2 years and a star QB .
Can anyone explain which direction the Bears are going? On one hand they didn’t fire Nagy and Pace and they franchised ARob so they’re not rebuilding and starting over. On the other hand they’re not fixing the OL, signed a bum in Dalton, let Fuller go and are ok with Hicks leaving both of which were cornerstones of their vaunted defense. I don’t get it.
I think a lot of teams are struggling with the lower salary cap and making some bad panicky decisions.
Almost as puzzling as raiders
Don’t worry, 99.9% of the fan base is with you
It’s all about better draft picks for the next GM
They need 1 T in a draft that has lots of them available. They also needed money to sign Dalton which they had to release Fuller to get. When you make bad deals and bad drafts you end up in roster hell
The rest of what you said makes sense, but having to clear cap room for ~Andy Dalton~ is what’s so perplexing. Especially when it means cutting a solid starter at a different position.
QB is the most important position by far but if indeed they had to move a couple of top guys I’d get a top QB I’m not sure if Dalton is that type of QB or not.
Why do teams in the NFL give players permission to seek trades? Shouldn’t the team be trying to trade him for whatever the best offer is?
I think that usually means that the team hasn’t found any takers so they put it on the player and agent to see if they can get something done. Same thing is going on in Philly with Ertz. Incompetent front offices in both cases
I have no idea what Bears are doing right now.
Apparently we fans are suppose to be satisfied with the knowledge that “everything is on the table”.
I try to not compare sports but you saw this in MLB this past offseason teams dealing players for minor leaguers as long as the other teams eat up the salary.. This is a salary dump move.. The sad thing is The bears refuse to do a rebuild wont help their cause in return they want enough team to fool the fan base into thinking they win 10 games to the point they can sell tickets.. Iff i were The bears id Deal Mack might as well.. He is at his peak value now get something while ge healthy.. Than id flip Hicks Robinson scoop up as much young talent and draft picks and anyone not under contract the next 2 yrs that you cant rebuild with you cut or trade period! Id draft a QB this yr sit behind Dalton and Foles.. Id consider finding what you can get for foles too thats only iff you want to tank!!
why dont they just cut jimmy graham for cap space
Per league rules, the Bears must have 7 TEs on the roster at all times
Used to be 7 safeties, lol, under Lovie. How’s that for change!
Phillyballers –
That just made me LOL. I think the Bears front office/GM need to seek professional psychiatric help, to be honest
Pace is as clueless as Gutterman in NY.
This is what happens when you spend too much on defense.
Wait’ll you see what happens when they don’t.
The part that says he’d want a “substantial raise” if he’s traded will be deferring every team to other players….substantial raise and he’s already making $10 million this year?
At this point they should just trade Mack and Jackson for assets and fully embrace the rebuild. Firing Pace & Nagy goes without saying
This ain’t no rebuild we all in with are sad budget.
Thank God we got Hicks his last year with Goldman make K.Mack even better but Pace knows this