Chicago Bears GM Ryan’s Pace unearthed a free agent bargain when he signed defensive lineman Akiem Hicks to a two-year deal in March of 2016, but a bigger deal is expected to be on the horizon – potentially as soon as this summer.
However, Hicks will have new representation at the negotiating table:
Entering final year of his contract, #Bears DL Akiem Hicks has hired Drew Rosenhaus as his new agent.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) July 14, 2017
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports that Hicks has hired super-agent Drew Rosenhaus as his new, uh, you know, agent. Rosenhaus has negotiated more than $1 billion in contracts, according to Forbes, which ranked him as the fifth most powerful sports agent.
Back in June, Hicks parted ways with the agent who guided him through the early part of his career and helped negotiate his deal with the Bears last season. Hicks has said he would love to remain in Chicago, and if that’s how it plays out, it will be because the Bears and Rosenhaus come to an agreement on a long-term deal.
Hicks put together a career year last year, setting a slew of career bests along the way. He was one of Pro Football Focus’ top interior defenders in 2016 and projects to be a main force along the line once again in 2017. And because he is still young, signing Hicks to an extension during his prime years could be beneficial to a rebuilding Bears defense.
We recently discussed what a possible extension for Hicks would look like if he re-signed with the Bears this summer based on other deals that were signed recently. Even though Hicks only has one stellar year under his belt, he could still land the kind of deal that pays him handsomely.
And with Rosenhaus on the case, you could see some big numbers flying around this summer.