Jordan Hicks - Pro Football Rumors

Browns To Activate Jack Conklin, Greg Newsome; Jedrick Wills Activation Expected

August 26th, 2024 at 10:21am CST by Sam Robinson

Slow-playing Nick Chubb‘s recovery as expected, the Browns will give the Pro Bowl running back’s collection of backups some help to start the season. Jack Conklin is coming off the team’s active/PUP list Monday, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports. Jedrick Wills is expected to follow soon after.

Conklin will practice Tuesday, per Kevin Stefanski, while Wills is not yet ready. The Browns needed to activate both tackles to avoid each beginning the season on the reserve/PUP list, which would have knocked both out for at least four games to open the season. Each has been rehabbing knee injuries. Conklin suffered ACL and MCL tears in Week 1 of last season; Wills underwent MCL surgery late last year.

Cleveland is also not planning to have Greg Newsome on the NFI list to start the season, while Stefanski said (via the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling) Dalvin Tomlinson will join the recovering cornerback at practice Tuesday. Stefanski added (via TheLandOnDemand.com’s Tony Grossi) Nyheim Hines is not yet off Cleveland’s active/NFI list but could practice later this week. It seems the Browns are also preparing to move Hines, who is still on the mend from the ACL tear sustained in a jet-ski accident last year, off an injured list in an effort to have him return during the season’s first four weeks.

The Browns finished last season without their top three tackles, with Dawand Jones suffering a major injury as well. Cleveland’s would-be swing tackle did not start camp on the PUP list, representing a rare positive injury development for the AFC North team. Conklin had hoped to return by training camp, but he did not come particularly close. Nevertheless, he will be an option for Week 1. Conklin should probably be expected to line up at his usual right tackle spot, with Stefanski (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson) stopping short of indicating he would be an option at LT while Wills completes his recovery.

Conklin coming back after his second ACL tear gives the Browns a boost, but Wills needing this much time to return from an MCL issue is obviously a concern. The Browns have used Wills and Conklin as their LT-RT combo since 2020. Wills enters a crucial season, as his rookie contract expires after the 2024 campaign. These issues all come as Deshaun Watson completed a recovery from a shoulder surgery, which kept him off the field during preseason play.

Additionally, Stefanski said Jordan Hicks will return to practice Tuesday. The recent free agency acquisition missed most of this month with an undisclosed injury. Teams do not need to disclose injuries until game week, but the veteran linebacker has a decent chance of debuting for his new team in Week 1.

Browns Notes: Chubb, Vrabel, Cooper, Hicks

August 16th, 2024 at 6:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

Nick Chubb‘s 2023 season ended with a major knee injury which required two surgeries to repair. The four-time Pro Bowler started training camp, as expected, on the active/PUP list. He could be activated at any point, but missed time to start the campaign would come as no surprise.

A roster projection from The Athletic’s Zac Jackson predicts Chubb will begin the season on the reserve/PUP list (subscription required). Such a designation would require at least a four-game absence as Chubb continued to recover. The 28-year-old’s Week 1 availability has been a question mark throughout the offseason, although Cleveland has remained optimistic he will be able to suit up at some point in 2024.

Chubb agreed to a pay cut this offseason, putting to rest speculation the Browns could move on. Only one year remains on his contract, however, so returning to full health and his previous form will be critical for his future. Once roster cutdowns take place later this month, a decision on placing Chubb on the PUP list or leaving the door open to a debut before Week 5 will be made.

Here are some other notes out of Cleveland:

Mike Vrabel did not land a head coaching position after his Titans ouster, but he joined the Browns in March. The 49-year-old will work as a consultant on Kevin Stefanski‘s staff. Those efforts have included work in a number of capacities this offseason, but Vrabel said (via Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand) he will not have a role on gamedays. Needless to say, an under-the-radar gig in 2024 will likely not help his chances of landing a HC (or coordinator) job during the 2025 hiring cycle.
Wideout Amari Cooper worked out a restructure by having most of his base salary converted into a signing bonus and $5MM in incentives added for 2024. On the latter point, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports notes the pending free agent will collect $500K for a second-team All-Pro nod or $1MM for first-team honors. A five-time Pro Bowler, Cooper has yet to receive All-Pro recognition during his career. In addition, Jones details that he will receive between $1MM and $4MM based on individual and team performances. A season of 1,251 or more yards without a playoff berth would land on the low end of that range, while 1,400+ yards and a Super Bowl would lead to maximum earnings.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks has been out of practice since August 4 with an undisclosed injury, and Stefanski called him “week to week” (h/t Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk). The 32-year-old signed a two-year, $8MM pact in free agency and he is slated to start at linebacker with his new team. Being to return to the field for even a brief period before Week 1 would thus be a welcomed development for team and player in his case.

Browns To Add LB Jordan Hicks

March 11th, 2024 at 7:48pm CST by Ely Allen

The Browns are set to reward Jim Schwartz‘s recent success as defensive coordinator by bringing in a former player of his. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cleveland will sign former Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks to a two-year, $8MM contract.

Hicks and Schwartz worked together when the pair were both in Philadelphia near the start of Hicks’ career. Health assisted, but after pairing with Schwartz, Hicks took a big step forward in his sophomore season, mostly showing his worth in coverage where he nabbed five interceptions and 11 passes defensed. He graded out as the league’s third-best linebacker that season, according to Pro Football Focus, out of 87 graded players at the position.

After two more injury-riddled years under Schwartz, Hicks spent three years in Arizona and two more in Minnesota. Since leaving Philadelphia in 2019, Hicks had mostly put his injury troubles behind him, starting every possible game until missing four this past year with a leg contusion. Despite the missed time due to injury, Hicks was still productive for the Vikings. Including his shortened 2023 season, Hicks has not totaled fewer than 107 total tackles since going to the Cardinals.

Minnesota has already made preparations for Hicks’ departure. Knowing that Hicks was likely on the move, the Vikings addressed the position by bringing in a younger free agent like Blake Cashman from Houston. Cashman should pair up with returning starter Ivan Pace to form the team’s new inside linebacker duo.

In Cleveland, Hicks arrives to fill some holes of his own after the Browns saw free agent linebackers Sione Takitaki and Anthony Walker sign with the Patriots and Dolphins, respectively. Hicks may have to compete with Jacob Phillips, but he should secure a starting position on the Browns defense alongside Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Phillips may be able to factor in as the team’s third starter, but it makes sense for Cleveland to continue to monitor the draft and free agency for at least one more potential linebacker addition.

Vikings Activate LB Jordan Hicks From IR, Waive LB Nick Vigil

December 23rd, 2023 at 7:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

Marking another step in his recovery process from a frightening injury situation, Jordan Hicks is set to return to the field. The veteran linebacker was activated from injured reserve by the Vikings on Saturday, per a team announcement.

Hicks returned to practice this week after recovering from emergency surgery brought about by a case of compartment syndrome. The injury caused a six-week absence and threatened to keep him out for the remainder of the campaign. Hicks is now in place to resume starting duties at the second level. Nick Vigil, who had filled in during Hicks’ absence, was waived to make room on the roster.

Minnesota has managed to stay in contention for a playoff spot despite injuries to the likes of Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. Losing Hicks marked a blow to the team’s defense as well, though, given his importance to the unit. Despite the missed time, the 31-year-old still ranks third on the team in tackles with 87. Hicks has added one interception, one sack and a fumble returned for a touchdown in his second Vikings campaign.

The former third-rounder drew trade interest ahead of the deadline, but the Vikings opted against a seller’s stance. As a result, he remains in place to close out the campaign, something which will be a welcomed development for Minnesota’s defense. That unit in general, and defensive coordinator Brian Flores in particular, have drawn praise for their play (the closing stages of last week’s loss to the Bengals notwithstanding).

Hicks’ injury created a larger workload for Ivan Pace Jr. at the linebacker spot. The undrafted rookie has impressed during the year, but especially in recent games with at least nine tackles in each of the past four contests. He and Hicks will look to keep Minnesota’s playoff push alive as the 7-7 outfit prepares for the first of two games against the Lions within the final three weeks of the campaign. Vigil, meanwhile, will be available to sign with the Vikings or any other team if he clears waivers.

Vikings Designate OLB Jordan Hicks To Return From IR

December 18th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Ely Allen

After not missing a single game since 2018, Vikings outside linebacker Jordan Hicks has now missed the past four weeks of the season. Minnesota is hopeful that they will be able to start a new streak for Hicks after opening his 21-day practice window to come off of injured reserve today.

Hicks suffered a shin contusion in the team’s win over the Saints weeks ago and, as the game progressed, began feeling numbness and losing strength in his leg. The pain reportedly became excruciating, causing him to sweat profusely and lie in the fetal position, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Hicks underwent “emergency surgery” hours later and was subsequently placed on IR. Luckily, a successful surgery helped Hicks to avoid permanent damage in a situation that reportedly “often results in muscle loss or even amputation.”

Despite that, Hicks has been around the team, in the Vikings’ facility, attending meetings, rehabilitating. According to Seifert, defensive coordinator Brian Flores has expressed optimism that Hicks will be able to make a return this year, hence today’s designation.

If Hicks is able to make his comeback this year, it will provide a bit of a happy ending to what was a scary situation. If the Vikings hope to have Hicks in a potential playoff push and run, he will need to be activated with the next three weeks. Otherwise, we won’t see Hicks again until the 2024 season.

Vikings Place LB Jordan Hicks On IR

November 14th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Ben Levine

After undergoing leg surgery on Sunday, Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks is set to miss at least the next month. The Vikings announced that they’ve placed Hicks on injured reserve, meaning the veteran will be out until at least Week 15.

Hicks briefly left Sunday’s game during the first quarter before returning and playing 23 defensive/special teams snaps. He left the game for good in the third quarter with what was described as a shin contusion.

Per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, Hicks’ knee swelled up after the game and necessitated a trip to the hospital. Doctors suggested immediate surgery after diagnosing Hicks with compartment syndrome, which is when swelling in a bruised area reaches “dangerous levels” (per Seifert). Hicks was released from the hospital today and posted an encouraging update on X.

“Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me the past few days and for all of your continued prayers,” Hicks wrote. “The surgery was a huge success and I’m grateful for all of the doctors, nurses and medical staff who treated me. Looking forward to getting back out there with the guys soon!”

Hicks hadn’t missed a start since joining the Vikings prior to the 2022 campaign. After finishing his first season in Minnesota with 129 tackles, the 31-year-old collected 87 stops through 10 games this season. Seifert writes that undrafted rookie Ivan Pace Jr. is expected to take Hicks’ role on defense and should also inherit the defensive signal-caller role.

The Vikings also added some depth at the position yesterday. The team signed old friend Anthony Barr to the practice squad, and it shouldn’t take long for the veteran to find his way on to the 53-man roster.

Eagles Eyeing LB Addition?

October 31st, 2023 at 9:30am CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles have already pulled off a pair of trades in the build-up to today’s deadline, but more could be coming from general manager Howie Roseman. Philadelphia has been active in gauging the market with a particular interest in linebacker help, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes.

That falls in line with reporting from the weekend which indicated the Eagles were on the lookout for help at the ILB spot. The reigning NFC champions lost both T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White in free agency as part of their defensive exodus, leading to questions about both starter-level replacements and depth behind them. Philadelphia has relied primarily on Zach Cunningham, Nicholas Morrow and Nakobe Dean at the second level so far this season.

That trio has helped the Eagles post the league’s best run defense in 2023, a feat which of course is also a product of their stout defensive line. The latter unit lost a depth member yesterday when Kentavius Street was dealt to the Falcons, a much less signficant move than Philadelphia’s earlier addition of safety Kevin Byard to give a needed boost to the secondary. Adding a veteran linebacker to the mix would further aid what the NFC East leaders hope will be another deep postseason run.

Breer names Jordan Hicks (Vikings) and Josey Jewell (Broncos) as potential targets. Both players have been mentioned as trade candidates, given their statuses as rentals and their respective teams’ presumed stance as sellers at the deadline. Hicks in particular has been on the radar of contending teams for some time now, and his $3.25MM base salary checks in at a slightly lower rate than that of Jewell (although both Minnesota and Denver could retain portions of those figures, which would be prorated for an acquiring team).

The Eagles entered today with $3.38MM in cap space, enough to make a low-cost addition at the linebacker spot or another position of interest. Given Roseman’s propensity to make moves at areas of perceived need, it would come as no surprise if a trade were to be hammered out in the coming hours.

Vikings LB Jordan Hicks Drawing Trade Interest

October 22nd, 2023 at 7:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings have been connected to plenty of trade talk centered on quarterback Kirk Cousins recently, but the team has a few defenders who could be attractive to interested teams. One of those is edge rusher Danielle Hunter, but another is inside linebacker Jordan Hicks.

The latter has drawn “outside interest,” per Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson. Hicks earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after the Vikings’ Week 6 win over the Bears, part of his strong performance so far this season. The 31-year-old has posted 53 tackles, one interception and a fumble return touchdown through six contests, proving his continued ability to fill the statsheet.

Hicks joined the Vikings on a two-year, $10MM pact last March after finding himself as a cap casualty of the Cardinals. He reworked his pact this past offseason to stay in Minnesota and move his 2023 salary to $3.25MM. An acquiring team would take on a prorated portion of that figure in any possible trade. Dealing him would create $3.5MM in cap space for the Vikings.

The former Eagles third-rounder has eclipsed 100 tackles in each of the past four seasons, and he has reached double-digits in that regard four times already this year. A resurgence in pass coverage relative to the past several campaigns has resulted in a standout 80.3 PFF grade, something which could add further to his value for contending teams. As Robinson notes, however, Hicks’ age, position and status as a rental would put a firm limit on the value the Vikings could receive in draft capital in a swap. As such, it would come as little surprise if they turned down offers.

The same may not be true for Hunter, who entered Week 7 with the league lead in sacks. Positional value would no doubt help Minnesota extract more draft assets in a trade involving Hunter, but Hicks’ play should have him firmly on the radar of teams in search of low-cost additions in the middle of their defense. Minnesota (2-4) has not committed to a seller’s stance in advance of the October 31 deadline despite their slow start and Justin Jefferson‘s absence, though, so it will be interesting to see how willing they could be to part ways with Hicks.

Restructure Details: Cousins, Bills, Cowboys, Saints, Warner, Jets, Texans

March 15th, 2023 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Facing a Kirk Cousins cap crunch last year, the Vikings worked out a third contract with their starting quarterback. They did not take that path this year. Minnesota instead agreed to a restructure, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The reworking frees up $16MM in cap space for the Vikings, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweets. The Vikes look to have tacked on two more void years to Cousins’ deal. While the void years — for cap-reducing purposes — run through 2027, Cousins’ contract expires after the 2023 season. No extension is imminent.

The 34-year-old passer has enjoyed leverage throughout his Vikings relationship — via his free agency in 2018, ahead of his 2020 contract year on that fully guaranteed deal, and in 2022 as his second Vikes pact was set to produce a historic cap hit — but Minnesota’s new regime may now be looking toward moving on after the season. This will be a situation to monitor moving forward; Cousins has not played in a contract year since his 2017 Washington finale.

Here is the latest on teams’ restructures:

The Bills moved close to the 2023 league year in a cap hole, but they restructured the deals of their two highest-profile players to create considerable space. Buffalo reworked Josh Allen and Von Miller‘s contracts to create approximately $32MM in space, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. The Bills have moved their way up past $8MM in cap room.
Per usual, the Saints have been hard at work on restructures. They adjusted the deals of Cameron Jordan, Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore to create cap space, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Katherine Terrell (all Twitter links). The Jordan move created more than $10MM in cap space for New Orleans, which was back to being north of $20MM over the cap following its Derek Carr signing. As the league year begins, New Orleans made it under the cap by just more than $300K.
In addition to restructuring Tyron Smith‘s deal to ensure the All-Decade tackle plays a 13th season with the team, the Cowboys adjusted the contracts of DeMarcus Lawrence and Michael Gallup, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes (Twitter links). Between them, the Lawrence and Gallup restructures freed up around $16MM for Dallas, which had already created more than $30MM in space by redoing Dak Prescott and Zack Martin‘s deals last week.
The 49ers restructured Fred Warner‘s extension, according to Yates (on Twitter). The move created nearly $9MM in cap space for San Francisco, which gave Javon Hargrave a four-year, $84MM deal to start the legal tampering period. A void year now exists in Warner’s contract, which runs through 2026 (with the void year coming in 2027). Warner’s cap number drops to $9MM but spikes past $24MM in 2024, which will probably prompt more maneuvering from the 49ers. They currently hold just more than $12MM in cap space.
Circling back to the Vikings, Jordan Hicks agreed to a restructure that will keep him in Minnesota this season, Insidethebirds.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. Hicks signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Vikings last year.
Amid their Aaron Rodgers pursuit, the Jets created $4.8MM in cap space by restructuring John Franklin-Myers‘ contract, Yates tweets. Two void years are attached to the defensive lineman’s pact, which runs through 2025.
Texans safety Eric Murray agreed to a restructured deal as well, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Attached to a two-year, $10MM deal he signed in 2022, Murray remains on a Texans team that has seen its roster become crowded at safety. The team has added Jimmie Ward and re-signed M.J. Stewart this week. Murray played 17 games for the Texans last season but did not start any. This sounds like a pay-cut agreement, with Wilson adding Murray can make up to $4MM this season.

Vikings To Sign LB Jordan Hicks

March 15th, 2022 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not long after being made a Cardinals cap casualty, Jordan Hicks found a new home. The Vikings are signing the veteran linebacker, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio tweets.

Hicks has agreed to a two-year contract worth $10MM, Caplan adds, noting the deal includes $6.5MM guaranteed. Incentives can take the price up to $12MM. This will be Hicks’ third team; he has played every-down roles for his previous two (Philadelphia and Arizona).

The Cardinals allowed Hicks to seek a trade after they drafted Zaven Collins last year, but the team ended up keeping Hicks in his usual full-time role. Hicks played 97% of the Cards’ defensive snaps last season, starting in all 18 Arizona games. The Cards have drafted off-ball ‘backers in each of the past two first rounds (Collins and Isaiah Simmons), leaving them less needy of a veteran presence like Hicks, who is set for his age-30 season in 2022.

A Super Bowl LII starter with Philly, Hicks has also rebounded from his injury-plagued Eagles tenure. He did not miss a game in three Cardinals seasons. Hicks made 150 tackles in 2019 and surpassed 110 in each of his next two seasons, totaling 29 tackles for loss with Arizona.

The Vikings may be set to use him alongside Eric Kendricks. An eight-year Viking, Anthony Barr is a free agent. Minnesota is also starting over after eight seasons of Mike Zimmer leading its defense. Ed Donatell is now at the controls, and Minnesota is shifting to a 3-4 defense for the first time in decades.