In an eventful week for the Bears, Akiem Hicks emerged on the trade block. The standout defensive lineman is entering the final year of his contract. However, a trade may not end up materializing.
The Bears now look likely to keep Hicks for the 2021 season, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs (on Twitter). Hicks is due a $10.4MM salary next season.
The former All-Pro interior defender is entering the final season of his four-year, $48MM contract. The interior defender market has moved significantly since Hicks signed that deal in September 2017. Most notably, Leonard Williams is now attached to a three-year, $63MM pact. Hicks may push for an extension, with Biggs previously noting his contract was a key matter in a potential trade. As of now, an extension does not appear to be in the cards.
Keeping Hicks would allow the Bears some stability on a defense that just lost top cornerback Kyle Fuller, who officially became a cap casualty Saturday. Hicks has been with the Bears since signing a two-year, $10MM contract in 2016. While Hicks missed most of the 2019 season due to injury, he returned to play 15 games last season. He will turn 32 later this year.
Hicks apparently went to college in Regina so perhaps the CFL is an option if the Bears release him.
He will end up on the cowboys is my guess they are desperate for defensive help and him on a dline with Lawrence would be quite the upgrade over anyone they had last year
Don’t be a troll Hicks make that front the best in NFL this year has Potential to be another great defense with a better line one away and Daulton just a little better than Mitch hopefully we get a QB that can move in the pocket and have a good arm.
Hicks had several costly penalties and misses a lot of time; when he’s on though, he’s a top 5 DT in the league…
He’s worth a 2 year extension, just have to front end load it to make him movable before his 35yo season.
This again highlights how bad the Robert Quinn signing really was.
Not a troll but Quinn was no where close to 70 million maybe Floyd was better might’ve been the coaching
The one thing Pace has done is fixed the Defense