Akiem Hicks - Pro Football Rumors

Akiem Hicks Hires Rosenhaus Sports

July 13th, 2017 at 6:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

On the cusp of a contract year, Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks announced last month that he was seeking new representation. The search is over, according to Sports Business Journal’s Liz Mullen, who tweets that Hicks has signed with Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha of Rosenhaus Sports.

Turning to Rosenhaus, the most famous agent in football, certainly shouldn’t hurt Hicks’ cause as he vies for a major payday. Hicks made his own case for a raise on the field last year, his first in Chicago, when he performed like one of the NFL’s premier defensive linemen. After signing a two-year, $10MM contract in free agency last offseason, the former Saint and Patriot led all Bears D-linemen in snaps (930) and piled up 54 tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles across 16 starts. In addition to recording excellent traditional numbers, Hicks ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 15th-best interior defender last season.

Now that Hicks has representation again, it won’t be surprising if general manager Ryan Pace attempts to lock him up to an extension this summer. The Bears have no shortage of cap space going forward, though a notable chunk of that would go to Hicks if the two sides were to hammer out a new deal.

As I noted last week when examining a potential extension for Hicks, a pact worth eight figures per year looks like a reasonable goal at the moment. If the Bears aren’t convinced Hicks is worth that type of long-term investment now and he ends up posting another huge season, the team could keep him via the franchise tag. However, tagging an end next year will cost roughly $17MM, which could be too pricey in Hicks’ case.

Extension Candidate: Akiem Hicks

July 4th, 2017 at 8:03pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

As a quality player entering a contract year, Bears lineman Akiem Hicks has a realistic chance of ending up as one of the richest defenders in next winter’s free agent class. While there’s no indication that the Bears have prioritized an extension for Hicks, it’s fair to suggest that an ideal scenario for general manager Ryan Pace would include keeping the five-year veteran in the fold for the long haul.

In March 2016, Hicks’ first trip to free agency, Pace lured him from New England on a two-year, $10MM deal. Hicks entered the NFL in 2012 as a third-round pick of the Saints, who employed Pace at the time. Three years later, New Orleans deemed Hicks expendable, sending him to the Patriots for tight end Michael Hoomanawanui. That proved to be yet another shrewd move by the Pats, with whom Hicks fared well across 13 games in 2015 before departing for a richer payday.

Pace made an astute decision of his own when he signed Hicks, as the 318-pounder thrived last year while taking on more responsibility than he had in either New Orleans or New England. Hicks tied a career high with 16 starts and established new personal bests in snaps (930, which led all Bears defensive linemen), tackles (54), sacks (seven) and forced fumbles (two). Those are impressive traditional numbers, and Hicks also fared well in terms of advanced metrics, as Pro Football Focus ranked his performance a stellar 15th among 127 qualified interior D-linemen last season.

Now, eight months from potentially becoming a free agent again, Hicks is in the market for a new representative, and he seems cognizant that he’s on the verge of a raise.

“I am a free agent that is almost a free agent,” Hicks said last month. “You get it?”

Preventing an unsigned Hicks from leaving Chicago via the franchise tag next winter would cost the club a lofty amount, somewhere in the $17MM neighborhood. With that in mind, when the defensive end hires an agent, it would behoove Pace to reach out to his representative regarding an extension. The question is: What would be a fair offer for the 27-year-old Hicks, who went from a solid lineman from 2012-15, when he combined for 33 starts and 9.5 sacks, to a borderline excellent one last season? Among PFF’s other top 15 interior linemen from last year, several have recently landed contracts, including Calais Campbell (No. 2), Kawann Short (No. 3), Fletcher Cox (No. 5), Damon Harrison (No. 7), Mike Daniels (No. 9) and Malik Jackson (No. 12). Here’s a quick rundown of those deals:

Campbell: Four years, $60MM, including $30MM guaranteed (March 2017)
Short: Five years, $80MM, including $35MM guaranteed (April 2017)
Cox: Six years, $103MM, including $63MM guaranteed (June 2016)
Harrison: Five years, $46.25MM, including $24MM guaranteed (March 2016)
Daniels: Four years, $42MM, including $12MM guaranteed (December 2015)
Jackson: Six years, $90MM, including $42MM guaranteed (March 2016)

At around $10MM per year over a handful of seasons, the Harrison and Daniels contracts look like more reasonable benchmarks than the others for Hicks, though the guaranteed money would likely have to approach Harrison’s total. It’s important to note that the salary cap has risen since those two signed, and it’s only going to continue going up. Both the NFL’s ever-increasing cap and another terrific season would enable Hicks to further make his case for something closer to the pact Campbell landed earlier this offseason. So, having already received one decent-sized payday in his career, it’s possible Hicks will bet on himself this year, go without an extension and try to play his way to Campbell-type money (if not more) by next winter.

NFC Notes: Rams, Hicks, Vikings

June 17th, 2017 at 11:58am CST by Ben Levine

Former Rams’ second-overall pick Greg Robinson was traded to the Lions earlier this week, and former first-overall pick Jared Goff said that he’ll miss his former lineman.

“When I woke up and saw that at first it was a little shocking,” Goff said (via Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times). “But part of the business, man. It sucks. But Greg was a good teammate, a good friend and wish him the best.”

Robinson started all 14 of his games in 2016, his lone season protecting Goff. The quarterback ultimately played in seven games as a rookie, completing 54.6-percent of his passes for 1,089 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Goff was also sacked a team-high 26 times.

Let’s take a look at some more NFC notes…

Defensive end Akiem Hicks had a chance to join the Patriots last offseason, but he took a more lucrative offer with the Bears. The 27-year-old ended up winning three games in Chicago, while New England ultimately won the Super Bowl. Despite this fact, Hicks doesn’t regret his decision. ‘‘Not in the slightest,’’ he told Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘Because one of the reasons I came here was . . . a chance to rebuild. I had a chance to be a part of something growing. Being a prominent player [on the Patriots], I enjoyed that aspect of it. I think it’s going to benefit me going forward.’’
Vikings 2015 third-round pick Danielle Hunter is focused on earning a starting spot in 2016, and his apparent offseason body transformation has some of his teammates supporting that sentiment.“I feel like a few more pounds can be good,’’ Hunter, who gained five pounds of muscle, told Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com. “My goal was to just gain weight (during the offseason). I thought I was a little bit too light last year.’’ Hunter will presumably be competing with veteran Brian Robison for a starting gig.
Yesterday, commissioner Roger Goodell denied that free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick is getting blackballed by NFL owners.

Bears DL Akiem Hicks Seeking New Agent

June 16th, 2017 at 2:56pm CST by Zachary Links

On the verge of an important year, Akiem Hicks is looking to make a change in representation. The Bears defensive lineman has parted ways with agent Frank Murtha and is currently in the process of interviewing new potential agents, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes.

“I am a free agent that is almost a free agent,” said Hicks, who is entering a contract year. “You get it?”

Hicks joined the Bears on a two-year, $10MM free agent deal after spending time with the Saints and Patriots in 2015. He’s set to earn $5MM this season and is hoping to land another lucrative deal for 2018 and beyond.

In his last go-round through free agency, Hicks chose a shorter deal with Chicago over a longer pact offered by the Patriots. His gamble has paid off and he is now eager to cash in.

“I know it’s not always the best way to think of it with this being a business, but I want to get what I deserve or get what I have earned,” he said, while adding that he would like to stay in Chicago. “If I earned a new contract, that’s what I earned. If I don’t, that’s the case. It’s really not up to me. I get to put my stuff on the field and show them what I can do, but I can’t make them go upstairs and sign me to a different piece of paper.”

Hicks had a career-high 71 total tackles last season plus five tackles for a loss and seven sacks. He also played in a career-high 931 snaps, proving his durability. At a time when top defensive lineman are getting big dollars, the 27-year-old (28 in November) could be looking at a monster deal in the spring.

NFC Notes: Bears, Rams, Saints

June 1st, 2016 at 5:55pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Bears edge rusher Willie Young acknowledged Wednesday that there have been contract extension talks between him and the team, saying (via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com), “Yeah, there has been some stuff mentioned here and there, but that’s something that will be left up to my agent so I don’t get caught in the middle of it.” As of earlier this month, Young was reportedly “50/50” on whether to accept a two-year offer from the Bears. Chicago is trying to keep the soon-to-be 31-year-old after he amassed a combined 16.5 sacks during his first two seasons in the Windy City, and he’s open to spending the rest of his career there. “I would like to finish my career up here in Chicago, but you know that’s not up to me; that’s up to my agent and management,” said Young, who will hit the open market next offseason if a deal isn’t reached by then.

AFC FA Rumors: Weddle, Holmes, Fitzpatrick

March 14th, 2016 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers were among the teams rumored to be in the hunt for safety Eric Weddle, who ultimately agreed to join the division-rival Ravens, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears that Pittsburgh didn’t make a formal contract offer to the safety. According to La Canfora, the Steelers stopped monitoring Weddle’s market over the weekend, shifting their focus to landing an offensive tackle.

Meanwhile, the Patriots were also a team frequently cited as a potential suitor for Weddle, but New England wasn’t one of the finalists for his services, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Schrager notes that Weddle and his agent spent a few hours this morning “going back and forth with two teams.” One of those clubs was the Ravens, but the identity of the second team remains unclear.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

The Raiders are making a push to bring back wide receiver Andre Holmes, tweets Bill Williamson of Fanrag Sports. Williamson cautions that nothing is done yet, and there’s no guarantee Holmes will return to Oakland, but the two sides appear headed toward a reunion for now.
While there’s a belief that the Jets will eventually increase their offer to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and find a middle ground, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Fitzpatrick may not give them the opportunity, possibly having been insulted by a lowball offer. Of course, for that to happen, the free agent quarterback will need to find a suitable offer elsewhere.
According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter), Patriots head coach Bill Belichick called Akiem Hicks last night in a last-ditch effort to keep him in New England. The defensive tackle ultimately signed with the Bears instead, and Howe suggests that the Pats’ offer was for more years, but at a lower annual salary.
Former Ravens safety and special-teamer Brynden Trawick, who was non-tendered by Baltimore, is paying a visit to the Bengals, tweets Joe Goodberry of CincyJungle.com.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald isn’t sure why the Dolphins are interested in veteran defensive end Chris Clemons.

Bears Sign Akiem Hicks To Two-Year Deal

March 14th, 2016 at 9:23am CST by Connor J. Byrne

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 Trevathan 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.

North Notes: Wallace, Hicks, Bryant, Vikings

March 12th, 2016 at 8:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Even after being released by the Vikings earlier this week, Mike Wallace still might return to Minnesota, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who says that the possibility of Wallace re-signing with the Vikings is “on the table.” Wallace hasn’t been the same player since leaving the Steelers after 2012, as he’s averaged just 755 yards and six touchdowns with the Dolphins and Vikings in the three years since. But he’s not yet 30 years old, and given the crop of free agent wideouts, he should be able to find a nice landing spot.

Wallace was set to count $11.5MM against the cap in 2016, so if Minnesota does want to re-sign him, it will obviously be for far less than that total. The Ravens will reportedly have Wallace in for a visit, and while it’s just my speculation, I wonder if the Steelers would be interested in a reunion given that Martavis Bryant is facing a yearlong suspension.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFL’s two North divisions…

Free agent defensive lineman Akiem Hicks is in Chicago deciding his next move, and no resolution is expected to be announced today, reports Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). The Bears are still in the hunt for Hicks, per Finley, while the Lions have also expressed interest.
The Steelers have known about Bryant’s suspension since before the combine, tweets Albert Breer of NFL.com, so today’s news didn’t come as a major surprise.
Two Vikings‘ linebackers — Travis Lewis and Audie Cole — received one-year, minimum salary benefit deals, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter links). Lewis received a $50K signing bonus, per Rothstein, while Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported (via Twitter) a few days ago that Cole received a $40K bonus.

Lions Working To Sign Akiem Hicks

March 11th, 2016 at 5:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

5:20pm: Although the Lions are working to lock up Hicks, the Bears – who are hosting the defensive lineman on a visit today – remain “very much in [the] hunt” for him, tweets Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

4:54pm: On the heels of bolstering their defensive front from within, the Lions are looking elsewhere for help. Detroit is working to sign Akiem Hicks, CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora reports (on Twitter).

The Lions have already re-signed Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker to clear up their defensive tackle situation, but the connection to Hicks is obvious. Former Patriots executive Bob Quinn now being Detroit’s GM, Hicks serves as a natural target as a defensive end.

Quinn was on New England’s staff when the Patriots acquired Hicks from the Saints last September, and Hicks produced for the Pats, recording three sacks in his 13 games as a rotational piece for the AFC East champions.

Detroit has burgeoning star Ziggy Ansah under contract at end, with fellow starter Jason Jones facing free agency. Hicks rated as Pro Football Focus’ No. 42 interior defender last season.

FA Visits: Seahawks, Lions, Chiefs, Pats, Titans

March 11th, 2016 at 11:46am CST by Luke Adams

After being released recently by the Jaguars, veteran edge defender Chris Clemons is expected to pay a visit to the Seahawks soon, and could sign with the team during that visit, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). In fact, Condotta suspects that Clemons will sign.

If it happens, it would be a reunion for the two sides, as Clemons enjoyed the best years of his NFL career in Seattle. Although he was slowed down by injuries during his final year with the team in 2013, he recorded at least 11 sacks as a 16-game starter in each season from 2010 to 2012. At age 34, Clemons is unlikely to reach those totals again, but he could be a solid situational pass rusher if he rejoins the Seahawks.

Here’s more on potential free agent visits:

While the Patriots would like to bring back defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, the veteran free agent is exploring his options, and those options include a pair of NFC North teams. In addition to making a previously-reported visit to the Bears, Hicks is planning to visit the Lions over the weekend, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
Defensive tackle Al Woods is visiting the Seahawks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Seattle is bringing in both Woods and – as previously reported – Cam Thomas, as the team explore possible replacements for Brandon Mebane.
The Chiefs may still get a chance to meet with wide receiver Rod Streater, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Streater, who met with the Patriots on Thursday, is planning to head to Kansas City after visiting the Jets.
Free agent cornerback Antwon Blake is scheduled to visit the Patriots and Titans this weekend, per Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter). Blake’s agent is also negotiating with four other teams, says Paulk. The 25-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the Steelers.