Chicago Bears add defensive lineman Hicks
It took awhile, but the Bears finally got a deal done late Sunday night when Akiem Hicks, the king-size defensive lineman they had targeted in free agency, agreed to a two-year deal.
The 6-foot-5, 324-pound Hicks, who arrived in Chicago late Friday night and took his time before signing, played 13 games last season with the New England Patriots after he was traded from the New Orleans Saints, where he started the first three games.
Hicks is a space-eating, blocker-absorbing who is expected to be a D-line cornerstone.
“I know our linebackers are jumping for joy. We just signed colossus,” said Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long on Twitter.
Earlier in free agency, the Bears signed a pair of inside linebackers, Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman, who will be their starters in 2016 and are expected to upgrade what was an area of weakness.
Hicks is a bigger and better replacement for Jarvis Jenkins, who started 15 games last year but signed a three-year, $6 million deal with the Jets last Friday afternoon.
Also on Twitter, Long added: “beast mode engaged — we just signed a real live bear to maul people on sundays.”
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Jenkins started out strong last season after signing a one-year contract for the veteran minimum of $825,000, but his production lagged after the first few games. Still, Jenkins' 634 snaps (61.6 percent of the total 1,010) were 118 more than the Bears' next defensive lineman, rookie tackle Eddie Goldman.
Hicks is not an every-down player. He's primarily a two-down run-stuffer and generally not a factor as a pass rusher, but he did have 3 sacks last season and has 9½ in four seasons. He did not start for the Patriots last season, but he was an effective rotation player and, at 26, could have his best seasons ahead of him.
“I've played against (Hicks) twice, and I don't want to play against him again,” Long said in another tweet.
Hicks originally was the Saints' third-round draft choice out of the University of Regina (Saskatchewan) in 2012 when Bears general manager Ryan Pace was in the New Orleans personnel department. Hicks started 33 games for the Saints, but as part of their defensive housecleaning was traded to the Patriots last Sept. 30 for backup tight end Michael Hoomanawanui.
Hicks continues the Bears' trend under Pace of targeting younger free agents who are considered to be ascending players yet to reach their maximum productivity. He also has a visit scheduled with the Detroit Lions but never made it out of Chicago.
• Follow Bob's Bears reports on Twitter@BobLeGere.