With the free agency period quickly approaching, NFL rumors are popping up all over the place. The latest includes the Chicago Bears being expected to pursue play-making defensive lineman Akiem Hicks. Would this be a strong move for the team?
NFL teams are allowed to start negotiating with the agents of unrestricted free agents at noon EST on Monday. The signing of said free agents cannot be made official until Wednesday, but be sure to buckle in for a wild ride on the NFL rumor mill for the next couple of days.
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The Chicago Bears enter free agency with over $46 million under the cap to work with. General manager Ryan Pace may not want to spend huge in free agency, but the assets are certainly available for him to do so. Spending in free agency is always a tricky game in the NFL, but the Bears have a legitimate chance to greatly improve their roster this off season.
They will certainly be an interesting team to watch through the free agency process.
The NFL rumors are hitting the Bears early this off season, as they are already being directly connected to a free agent. ESPN’s Mike Reiss points out the Bears as an obvious candidate for defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, and he expects Pace to have interest.
Likely the number one goal for the Bears this off season is to add legitimate defensive talent who fit their 3-4 style of play. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will likely get the Bears defense back on track, but Pace and company are going to have to supply him with legitimate NFL talent who can play his style of defense.
Transitioning from a straight 4-3 to a full-time 3-4 defense undoubtedly has its challenges, and the Bears will not be able to fix their roster right away. However, they need to make significant strides to help this transition this off season, and adding Hicks to the mix would certainly help.
Hicks is a relatively scheme versatile player, but he appears to be best suited as a five-technique in a 3-4 defense. Hicks also has the bulk and raw strength to play some nose tackle on a limited basis.
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With obvious explosion and quickness off of the snap, Hicks really proved to be a difference-maker for the New England Patriots down the stretch last season. The Patriots simply let Hicks attack the interior of opposing offensive lines and he regularly started to make plays in the backfield.
He is a big and strong player with impressive athleticism for a man his size. The Bears lack play-makers on the defensive side of the ball, and Hicks has a knack for making plays when his team needs them the most.
Still a relatively unproven player, there is some risk involved with Hicks, but that should also help keep his price down. Bears’ GM Ryan Pace was with the New Orleans Saints when they drafted Hicks in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and I would not be surprised to see Pace look to his familiar face for help in Chicago.
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Hicks is not going to be a marquee free agent who steals the headlines, but in a Bears’ defense that needs play-makers who fit their scheme, he would be an important addition. For the sake of the Chicago Bears, hopefully this is a rumor that comes true.