Buccaneers sign DT Akiem Hicks to one-year deal worth up to $10 million

Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks had been with the Chicago Bears since before the 2016 NFL season but now has a new football home ahead of the summer. 

Per ESPN's Jenna Laine and Courtney Cronin, Hicks has put pen to paper on a one-year contract worth up to $10 million to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The ESPN piece and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk pointed out that this development likely means Ndamukong Suh will not re-sign with Tampa Bay. Suh played for the Buccaneers over the past three seasons and is an unrestricted free agent. 

Hicks, meanwhile, earned a Pro Bowl nod during his Chicago tenure. He was limited to just nine games during the 2021 campaign because of groin and ankle injuries. The 32-year-old accumulated 3.5 sacks, five tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits in his final year with the Bears. 

During his career that began when the New Orleans Saints selected him in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Hicks has tallied 40.5 sacks, 387 total tackles, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. Before he signed with Chicago in 2016, he spent time with the New England Patriots during the 2015 season.