One player who seems to have a decision coming up for him with two teams to choose from is defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, who looks like he’ll end up playing for either the Chicago Bears or Detroit Lions.
A 4-3 DT who played last season for the New England Patriots after being traded from the New Orleans Saints (2012-2015), Hicks is in Chicago trying to decide his next move, while the Lions are showing interest as well. Hicks made $1.5 million last season on his contract, and the 26-year old, who didn’t start a single game for the Patriots (although he played in all 13 games for them, including two more in the postseason.
Hicks has been in the league for four seasons, being a 3rd round pick despite not playing in the FBS during his college days. He started in 30 games (out of 31 played) for the Saints in 2013 and 2014, but overall has been part of some of the team’s worst defenses in quite a while, some of them being historically bad, with the Saints making the playoffs just once during his tenure with the team.
Hicks can also play as a defensive end, getting 9.5 sacks during his career in the NFL, but he’s better used in the interior, although he’s not the kind of player who is extremely useful on all three down situations. On a more desperate team defensively, he has a better shot of getting a lot more snaps and time on the field.