Akiem Hicks: Signed.

[King Bootz]

Suh's officially out

[uscbucsfan]

Suh's officially out

On paper, it appears to be a pretty nice upgrade.

[King Bootz]

Suh's officially out

On paper, it appears to be a pretty nice upgrade.

On paper, yes. Then you read that he's played a total of 29 games over the last 3 years. So health is a major issue with him.

[Snake]

He was quite a player with the Bears for a while there. Not sure where he is as a 32-year-old, but I’m liking the gamble if he’s healthy. Putting him in rotation with Hall and Co may help him.

[Grahamburn]

One thing you can’t knock Suh on is durability. Hicks has missed a lot of games lately.

Welcome to Tampa!

[Miller4Prez64]

This dude is a really good player when he’s healthy. Problem is he isn’t healthy all that often. He’s definitely an upgrade over Suh skill wise at this point in their careers. However, Suh has only missed two games in his entire career and that was back in 2011.

[nybf]

Is this like when Leftwich was officially gone?

[mdb1958]

Was it injury or the Bears playing different personnel

I like this signing until my vision tells me different. He may play really well with our group.

[King Bootz]

This dude is a really good player when he’s healthy. Problem is he isn’t healthy all that often. He’s definitely an upgrade over Suh skill wise at this point in their careers. However, Suh has only missed two games in his entire career and that was back in 2011.

Suh is definitely an Iron man and should be commended as such. The 2 games you mentioned in 2011 were due to suspension. He's never missed a game due to injury.

[King Bootz]

Was it injury or the Bears playing different personnel

I like this signing until my vision tells me different. He may play really well with our group.

I'm surprised you heard of him. He was drafted.

[Dread]

Hicks is one of the most dominant run defenders in the NFL that past few year, but he's had injuries in 2 of the last 3 season and will be 33 this November. Being a power player his age is less of a concern than if he were CB or WR.

When Hicks is healthy he was the engine that made those Bears defenses so good.

Trying to run vs Vea + Hicks seem pretty impossible and will allow Devin White and LVD free to make plays.

My speculation is that Suh wanted to be paid like the guy who played the most snaps of any DLinemen on the team last season and the Bucs viewed Suh as a more of just a run stuffer and liability as a pass rusher.

The Bucs have an elite run defense. But the weakness of the team last season on defense was rushing the QB with only 4. Suh would get single blocked almost everytime on 3rd down and had a pretty poor pressure %.

Hence the drafting of Logan Hall. Who I'd imagine will be that 3rd down pass rusher from the 3T.

Hicks will take the role Suh had on 1st down/2nd down along w/ short yardage. This deal is 'up to $10m' which I'd imagine requires he's healthy and on the active roster to earn that money.

[mdb1958]

Was it injury or the Bears playing different personnel

I like this signing until my vision tells me different. He may play really well with our group.

I'm surprised you heard of him. He was drafted.

Dude you named yourself after a shoe, surprises should be happening.


Get Lucky and pick up a cut like DeShaan Dixon or Joshua Onujiogu, then were building. Problem is we are way down the waiver even if these guys were cut.

[mdb1958]

Way to get that info out quick Bootz!

[These Are The Days]

I'm surprised you heard of him. He was drafted.

Dude you named yourself after a shoe, surprises should be happening.


Get Lucky and pick up a cut like DeShaan Dixon or Joshua Onujiogu, then were building. Problem is we are way down the waiver even if these guys were cut.

I was personally hoping for Will Yaligma

[Redrum]

I have watched Hicks dominate guards a few times. He looked better than Mack. If he stays healthy he's a difference maker.

I'll miss Suh. He was a leader and an iron man. Tough as nails. If you're paying 10 million for him or Hicks though I'd take Hicks.

[Primeminister]

Dude you named yourself after a shoe, surprises should be happening.


Get Lucky and pick up a cut like DeShaan Dixon or Joshua Onujiogu, then were building. Problem is we are way down the waiver even if these guys were cut.

I was personally hoping for Will Yaligma

Same here. The guy balls out.

[Cheb]

I echo the group sentiment; if he stays healthy, it's a good signing. Potentially did we overpay for him, maybe. Would have to see the contract details.

[Kona]

Bears fans on Reddit are saying we got a really good one (if healthy). Good thing for him is we drafted Hall and I see a healthy rotation to hopefully keep him fresh.

[Dread]

I echo the group sentiment; if he stays healthy, it's a good signing. Potentially did we overpay for him, maybe. Would have to see the contract details.

We'll see how huch is guaranteed like the way Suh demands his salary vs how much is tied to being active on Sundays along with performance incentives.

I'd be surprised if we paid Hicks $10m, or even $9m guaranteed instead of Suh given Suh's reliability and familiarity.

[MJW]

Hicks is a brick wall against the run. This is a signing that says, "We enjoy teams rushing for 70 YPG against us, and we think we'll keep that going."

Big issue is durability, like someone said. But I think we'll see him rotating with Hall situationally quite a bit, with Hall playing more passing downs and Hicks playing more running downs.

[MJW]

Not sure where this puts us with the cap, but I imagine the Gronk signing is coming soon, and that'll probably be that for name signings. Probably 47-48 of the 53 is basically set, which is pretty much where you want to be as a Superbowl Contender entering OTAs.

[Cheb]

Not sure where this puts us with the cap, but I imagine the Gronk signing is coming soon, and that'll probably be that for name signings. Probably 47-48 of the 53 is basically set, which is pretty much where you want to be as a Superbowl Contender entering OTAs.

I'd agree.

Per Spotrac, we had $12.4 million in cap space in the top 51 before the Nicks signing. Assuming that Nicks' contract is incentive heavy with relatively modest base compensation, we should be able to afford Gronk with maybe one of those how-is-this-even-legal dummy years tacked on to round out his pay.

[MJW]

Not sure where this puts us with the cap, but I imagine the Gronk signing is coming soon, and that'll probably be that for name signings. Probably 47-48 of the 53 is basically set, which is pretty much where you want to be as a Superbowl Contender entering OTAs.

I'd agree.

Per Spotrac, we had $12.4 million in cap space in the top 51 before the Nicks signing. Assuming that Nicks' contract is incentive heavy with relatively modest base compensation, we should be able to afford Gronk with maybe one of those how-is-this-even-legal dummy years tacked on to round out his pay.

Yeah, I could see one more stealth good signing thanks to CAP MAGIC! But once Gronk is back, I don't know that we need one. With Tyler Johnson, Scott Miller, and Jaelen Darden all disappointing last year, and no certainties with Perriman or Grayson, I'd still be talking to veteran receivers. How low would someone like Julio go to chase a ring? How about a flier on...flyer Will Fuller? ETC.

[mdb1958]

Hope the old guy can handle Florida heat.

[BJJ34]

I'd agree.

Per Spotrac, we had $12.4 million in cap space in the top 51 before the Nicks signing. Assuming that Nicks' contract is incentive heavy with relatively modest base compensation, we should be able to afford Gronk with maybe one of those how-is-this-even-legal dummy years tacked on to round out his pay.

Yeah, I could see one more stealth good signing thanks to CAP MAGIC! But once Gronk is back, I don't know that we need one. With Tyler Johnson, Scott Miller, and Jaelen Darden all disappointing last year, and no certainties with Perriman or Grayson, I'd still be talking to veteran receivers. How low would someone like Julio go to chase a ring? How about a flier on...flyer Will Fuller? ETC.

I would not take a flier on any FA receiver given the rookie classes keep outperforming. Maybe not for our guys, but with Evans/Gage a lock for 1/2 day one and then when Godwin comes back… i feel confident with our depth if they work professionally to be what theyre supposed to be. Grayson flashed. Perriman has been good multiple years. Scotty is a god damn mystery. Johnson is no better than me sitting on my couch, but his potential is a Sure handed third down machine.

[Buc2]

Hope the old guy can handle Florida heat.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. He will have professional trainers to help teach him how to acclimate.

[mdb1958]

Hicks is a brick wall against the run. This is a signing that says, "We enjoy teams rushing for 70 YPG against us, and we think we'll keep that going."

Big issue is durability, like someone said. But I think we'll see him rotating with Hall situationally quite a bit, with Hall playing more passing downs and Hicks playing more running downs.

If we clamp down on the pass, any of that standard (of run defense) could be challenged.

[Buc2]

[Four Verticals]

Yeah. That one was somewhat similar to English.

[mdb1958]

One for Buc2.

[Dread]

[The Outsider]

Yeah, as others have said I see Hicks/Hall being a two-man rotation to replace Suh's snaps. Hopefully not being a 3 down player will keep Hicks healthy, because when he is healthy he's really fucking good.

[kaimaru]

Bucs G.M. Jason Licht and vice president of football administration Mike Greenberg were able to lower Hicks’ 2022 cap charge to just $2.39 million. The team was able to have such a reduced cap charge due to voidable years that pushes $4.9 million worth of dead money into the 2023 season.

https://www.pewterreport.com/inside-buc ... -contract/

[MJW]

Yeah, as others have said I see Hicks/Hall being a two-man rotation to replace Suh's snaps. Hopefully not being a 3 down player will keep Hicks healthy, because when he is healthy he's really fucking good.

Exactly.

Hicks on Running Downs
Hall on Passing Downs
Nacho and perhaps Deadrin Senat providing depth

I'd feel better if we had one more solid depth piece in the mix there, but Bowles can cook up enough diverse looks to cover.

[Caradoc]

Yeah, I could see one more stealth good signing thanks to CAP MAGIC! But once Gronk is back, I don't know that we need one. With Tyler Johnson, Scott Miller, and Jaelen Darden all disappointing last year, and no certainties with Perriman or Grayson, I'd still be talking to veteran receivers. How low would someone like Julio go to chase a ring? How about a flier on...flyer Will Fuller? ETC.

I would not take a flier on any FA receiver given the rookie classes keep outperforming. Maybe not for our guys, but with Evans/Gage a lock for 1/2 day one and then when Godwin comes back… i feel confident with our depth if they work professionally to be what theyre supposed to be. Grayson flashed. Perriman has been good multiple years. Scotty is a god damn mystery. Johnson is no better than me sitting on my couch, but his potential is a Sure handed third down machine.

QFT