Bears sign defensive lineman Hicks to 4-year deal
According to multiple reports, the Bears and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks have agreed on a four-year, $48 million extension that includes $30 million guaranteed. ESPN reported the deal first.
Hicks is in the final year of the two-year $10 million deal he signed with the Bears in free agency on March 13, 2016, after leaving the New England Patriots.
Hicks' 71 tackles last season were fourth on the team and more than twice as many as the next Bears defensive lineman. The 6-foot-5, 332-pound five-year veteran also had a career-high 7 sacks in 16 starts last season. Hicks was a workhorse last season, playing 86.6 percent of the Bears' defensive snaps. He was the NFC defensive player of the week after Game 12, when he had 10 tackles against the San Francisco 49ers, including 2 sacks and a forced fumble to lead the Bears to a 26-6 victory.
The Bears began contract discussions with Hicks' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, early in training camp.
"I love the city, man," Hicks said at the time. "It's funny because, I was coming to Chicago long before I played for the Bears. My mother's from (Chicago).
"When I was a free agent - I'm a mama's boy, obviously - and my mom found out Chicago was a team that was interested in me, she was ecstatic. She wanted me to be here. She wanted to be able to come here and see her son play in her home city. I just enjoy my time here, and I'm completely open to ending my career here."
Hicks was originally a third-round draft choice (89th overall) of the New Orleans Saints in 2012 out of Regina University in Saskatchewan, Canada. Bears GM Ryan Pace was the Saints' director of pro scouting at the time. After starting 30 games in his first two seasons, Hicks was miscast as a 4-3 defensive end in 2015, when the Saints switched from their previous 3-4 scheme. He was traded to the New England Patriots on Oct. 1, 2015.
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