NFL free agency has dried up considerably over the last few weeks but many prominent players still remain on the market. One of those players is former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, who saw his contract expire following the 2021 season after spending six years in the navy and orange as one of the team’s leaders on defense.
But based on his recent social media activity, could the former Bear become a current Bear once again? Or possibly sign with their rivals up north?
Hicks posted a photo from the Bears’ 2021 home game against the Green Bay Packers of him sacking quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The post was quickly deleted, but was screenshotted by Daniel Greenberg. His latest post prior to this one on Instagram was back on Dec. 16.
Akiem Hicks just posted this on Instagram 👀 pic.twitter.com/Bh2Uzmm7YV
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) May 18, 2022
The gregarious defensive standout was one of the key players for the Bears since he was signed as a free agent in 2016. He became a leader on defense and blossomed into a Pro Bowl player, earning those honors during the Bears 2018 season where he helped the team claim the NFC North title.
Injuries would limit his time on the field over the last few seasons, but when healthy, he was one of the better defensive linemen in the league. During his six seasons with the Bears, Hicks totaled 247 tackles, 31 sacks, and five forced fumbles.
While he expressed a desire to stay with the team late in the 2021 season, his contract wasn’t extended. Some of his teammates aren’t shy about expressing their desire to bring him back, however as safety Eddie Jackson pondered the question last month in a tweet.
Can we bring back @The_Dream99 🤔
— Eddie Jackson (@BoJack4) April 23, 2022
With Hicks’ latest social media activity/inactivity, fans are coming up with their own theories as to what Hicks might do. Could he be coming back or is he hinting about signing with the Packers?
