Akiem Hicks is easily one of the best free agent signings the Chicago Bears have ever made. Cast off by both New Orleans and New England, GM Ryan Pace took a chance on the big defensive end in 2016 and was richly rewarded. Hicks became the new face of the Bears defense as it slowly revived from the nightmares of 2013 and 2014. His mixture of size, power, and controlled rage was so much fun to watch.
Nevermind his obvious value as a locker room leader. Even at 31-years old, there is no reason to think he can’t still be effective. The problem is the Bears are in a compromising position. COVID-19 torpedoed the 2021 salary cap and now this team needs money. Thus far they’ve managed to avoid any major cuts. However, they may not be able to for much longer. Is Hicks about to be a sacrifice?
It is certainly starting to look that way.
SM reported back in January that Hicks was among a number of players being considered for possible trades this offseason. The idea being to collect as much cash and draft picks as the Bears could. At the start of the league year on March 17th, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported that several people around the NFL believe Hicks is indeed available.
“On Wednesday night, there were rumblings in league circles that Hicks could be available in a trade. The team would save $10.5 million in cap space if it found a taker for the 31-year-old.”
While not necessarily connected, it was interesting that the Bears signed defensive end Angelo Blackson to a two-year deal just hours after that revelation. If that weren’t enough, the icing on the cake arrived from Hicks’ own Twitter page. After having photos of him decked out in Bears gear for the longest time, suddenly there isn’t a trace of navy blue and orange.
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Replacing Akiem Hicks will be impossible this year
If he is out, the Bears defense will have to suffer without him. They frankly have nobody on the roster who can reach his level of play and there isn’t a free agent available who would fill the void either. It’s not like the team could afford to pay the necessary money if one were. As for the draft? Most experts agree the 2021 class is fairly weak along the defensive line.
So if Akiem Hicks is gone? The message is pretty clear. Chicago will likely roll with Eddie Goldman, Bilal Nichols, and Mario Edwards Jr. as their starters up front this season. While not a bad trio, it just wouldn’t be the same without Hicks. His presence matters a lot. It’s easy to blame the Bears for making this decision but a lot of it is out of their hands. They didn’t expect the cap to drop. Nobody did. Combine that with his advancing age?
It’s a logical business decision. Just not an easy one.
Who knows. Maybe Pace will find a creative way to keep Hicks around. Perhaps a minor extension of his contract to lower the cap hit. Given the recent string of warning signs though? It might be best to brace yourselves. Chicago can’t be done making moves but they’re currently out of money. He is one of few avenues they can get some. It isn’t about whether they want to. It’s about they may have to.