Bears general manager Ryan Pace signed defensive lineman Akiem Hicks at a bargain price last offseason. It's going to cost a bit more to make sure he sticks around to see the Bears' rebuild through.
On Saturday, the Bears gave Hicks a four-year extension worth $48 million with $30 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Last year, the Bears signed Hicks to a two-year, $10 million contract.
Bears signing DE Akiem Hicks to a four-year, $48M extension that includes $30M gtd, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 9, 2017
Hicks might not be well known outside of Chicago, but he's a damn good player. In his first season with the Bears, he notched seven sacks and according to Pro Football Focus, he was the ninth-most productive pass rusher among all 3-4 defensive ends, recording 32 hurries and nine hits. He also posted the seventh-highest run-stop percentage in his position group, per PFF. He's one of the more consistent players on a Bears defense that is finally beginning to emerge as a sneaky good unit.
Before joining the Bears, Hicks spent the first four years of his career with the Saints and Patriots. In his career, he's logged 16.5 sacks and he earned Bill Belichick's stamp of approval, as the Chicago Sun-Times' Patrick Finley explained last year when the Bears signed him:
Bill Belichick, the Patriots' de facto GM, made Hicks a contract offer Sunday night. On the phone, the future Hall of Fame head coach told Hicks how he intrigued he was by his upside, sources said, to try to lure him back.
Belichick was right about his upside. Hicks' seven sacks and 36 tackles last year were career highs.
