Hicks has found a home in Chicago Bears' defense

Akiem Hicks was out of place in 2015 in New Orleans, when the Saints tried to force the 6-foot-5, 336-pounder into an edge-rushing role in a 4-3 defense.

Two years later, he never has been more at home playing end in the Chicago Bears' base 3-4 or when he kicks inside to tackle in four-man fronts on passing downs.

Three-and-a-half years after the Saints drafted him in the third round, they gave up on Hicks, trading him to the New England Patriots for tight end Michael Hoomanawanui.

Michael who?

Exactly.

Since then, Hoomanawanui has 15 catches for 124 yards and Hicks now is in the middle of a Pro Bowl season.

After his partial season in New England, he signed with the Bears in free agency and in 2016 had a career-best 71 tackles, more than twice as many as the Bears' next D-lineman. Hicks also had a career-best 7 sacks.

That earned him a four-year, $48 million contract extension, $30 million guaranteed. It was money well spent for the Bears. Hicks has a team-best 6 sacks already this year and again leads the linemen with 24 tackles. His 9 quarterback hits are the most on the team.

“He's just grown as a player through his experiences,” said Vic Fangio, Bears defensive coordinator. “He didn't have a great experience in New Orleans, went up to New England and for half a season did OK there, but (we) saw potential that this guy could be a good player.

“He does a great job getting his body in good shape. He takes care of himself, and he's a big, powerful guy that's learned how to play the game better.”

With his size, Hicks always has been a force against the run. But he continues to develop as a pass rusher, with 4 sacks in the last three games.

“Jay Rodgers, his position coach, does a fantastic job,” Bears coach John Fox said. “(But) it comes down to players. Akiem is a powerful body when he gets his pads low. When his pads get underneath his opponent's pads, he's pretty tough to stop.

“He's got quickness and uses his hands well. He's really started to use his hands better in that transition from read-and-run to pass (rush).”

Hicks seems to have an amusing outlook on almost any topic, but when it comes to returning to his former home, he's not amused. One gets the impression he'd like to make an impression.

“Any extra juice going back to New Orleans?” he was asked.

“No,” he said. “Just want to play some good football.”

What about Drew Brees?

“I don't really talk about Drew Brees,” Hicks said. “Nothing to say about him.”

But Saints coach Sean Payton has plenty to say about Hicks.

“He's doing extremely well,” Payton said. “He's very disruptive. You can see the amount of pressures that he has per game, and oftentimes he's displacing the pocket and really forcing the quarterback to make poor decisions or hurrying the quarterback. He's having a Pro Bowl season.”

Some players will be helped by the fast track at the Saints' Mercedes-Benz Superdome. But Hicks is quick to point out that he's not one of them.

“It doesn't change anything for me,” he said. “I'm slow. I'm still going to be slow. For skill positions, I'm sure they run and they feel some type of magic speed and whatnot. For me, I'm just hitting blocks and making plays.”

With 320-pound nose tackle Eddie Goldman at full strength, which he rarely was last season, he and Hicks are a formidable pair. Goldman has just 2 fewer tackles than Hicks and has played his best two games in the Bears' back-to-back wins with 6 tackles in each.

“Akiem's obviously been pretty dominant,” Fox said. “But I think it helps to have the guy next to you as a guy like Eddie.”

Hicks says the dominant duo can be better.

“I'm not going to lie to you,” he said. “I just think we could be better. That's my personal opinion. I felt like when we get in our four-man rush, I think that me and him could really do a lot more damage.”

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