Defensive lineman Akiem Hicks has signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers worth up to $10 million. The deal will keep Hicks with the team through the 2022 campaign. Hicks has spent the last six seasons of his career with the Chicago Bears.
Former Bears’ DL Akiem Hicks reached agreement today on a one-year deal worth up to $10 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per source. Deal negotiated by Bucs’ exec Mike Greenberg and agents @DrewJRosenhaus and @RyanMatha.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 31, 2022
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Akiem Hicks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Agree to Contract
Akiem Hicks had an injury-shortened season in 2021, only playing nine games due to a string of injuries. However, in that time he had 3.5 sacks and 25 combined tackles (19 solo), as well as five tackles for a loss and nine quarterback hits, putting him on pace for quite a respectable season had he been able to play all the way through.
Hicks played football in college at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. He was drafted in 2012 late in the third round by the New Orleans Saints. He became a starter in 2013, and he had his best season with the Saints that year as well, racking up 4.5 sacks. In 2015, he was traded three weeks into the season to the New England Patriots.
He ultimately signed with the Bears in 2016 and proceeded to have the best stretch of his career from 2016 to 2018. In those three years, he had 23 total sacks. 2018 proved to be his best season overall, as he had 7.5 sacks, 55 tackles, five pass deflections, and three forced fumbles. Hicks also had a one-yard rushing touchdown on a play that was called “Freezer Left” in a tribute to “The Fridge” William Perry. He made his first and only Pro Bowl so far after the 2018 season.
Hicks started to have injury issues in 2019 after scarcely missing a game prior to that, as he missed most of the season with a knee injury and only played five games. 2020 went better as he only missed one game, but only he had 3.5 sacks in 15 games that year, notably quieter than previous Bears seasons. 2021 saw him deal with injuries again, and he will hope to stay healthier in 2022.
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