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.







