The same week the Chicago Bears welcomed Andy Dalton to town, they reportedly also parted ways with one of their most prominent veterans, on Thursday releasing former Pro Bowl cornerback Kyle Fuller to save $11 million in salary cap space. It turns out Fuller may not be the only former All-Pro departing the team’s defense, either. According to the Chicago Tribune‘s Brad Biggs, the Bears have given veteran defensive tackle Akiem Hicks permission to seek a trade.
A Pro Bowler and All-Pro honoree in 2018, Hicks was once considered one of the top interior defensive linemen in the NFL, logging at least seven sacks in three straight seasons from 2016-2018, anchoring the D-line on one of the league’s best defenses and earning a four-year, $48 million extension. At 31, however, and coming off two straight quieter seasons, including a 2019 campaign in which multiple injuries limited him to five games, Hicks had been speculated as a potential trade chip or cap casualty.
The Bears entered free agency under the 2021 salary cap, and Fuller’s release gives them more room, but Hicks is still set to cost $12 million this year. Cutting the veteran defensive lineman would save Chicago all but $1.5 million of that total.
In the event Hicks is traded, per Biggs, the former Saints and Patriots tackle would seek a “substantial raise in a new contract,” though that seems unlikely considering his age and career trajectory.
