Akiem Hicks‘ 2016 Chicago arrival helped the Bears form one of the NFL’s best defenses over the past five years, but the veteran defensive lineman’s contract is up after this season. The Pro Bowler is aiming to extend his Windy City tenure.
The 11th-year veteran wants to sign a second Bears extension in order to finish his career in Chicago, according to his agent. Hicks’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was in Chicago on Thursday advocating for his client, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports. This extension hope comes not long after Hicks popped up in trade rumors.
After missing most of the 2019 season, Hicks bounced back and played in 15 games last year. While the sack total (3.5) did not match his three previous full seasons, which each featured seven-plus sacks, Hicks tallied a career-high 21 quarterback hits for a Bears team that rode its No. 8-ranked DVOA defense back to the playoffs. The 31-year-old D-lineman is set to earn $10.4M in base salary, closing out the final season of the four-year, $48M extension he agreed to in 2017.
It looked for a bit like the Bears were planning to move on from Hicks, whom they gave permission to seek a trade in March. The team made Kyle Fuller a surprise cap casualty that week, but shortly after the trade rumor surfaced, the Bears regrouped and held onto Hicks. The Bears do not have much invested at defensive end beyond Hicks, so plans will need to be made for the future soon — regardless of Hicks’ post-2021 status with the team.
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