10 offseason moves Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears should make
By Ryan Heckman
4. The Chicago Bears should cut ties with Akiem Hicks
It will be a sad day when the Bears choose not to re-sign Akiem Hicks, but it will be for the best. While Hicks has been the heartbeat of this Bears team for a few years now, his health is declining and he hasn’t been able to stay healthy in recent seasons.
Hicks’ last contract with the Bears is up now, and it saw him get paid an average of $12 million per season. Should he desire to return to Chicago, the Bears cannot afford to pay him more than around $5-$6 million per year, and there will be a team out there who would offer more.
He might just take a discount to stay with the Bears, and if so, then the Bears should keep him. However, with the way his health has declined, Chicago cannot give him a notable contract.
If they moved on from Hicks, the Bears could still have Mario Edwards and Angelo Blackson as their starters there. But, many wonder whether the Bears will also move on from Edwards, who has had his share of issues.