Depth or a Replacement?
The Bears signing of defensive lineman Angelo Blackson to a two-year deal only increased speculation they're planning to trade or release defensive end Akiem Hicks.
Blackson started nine games for Arizona last year and 15 the previous season in Houston, and fits the Bears defense size-wise for a defensive end or even nose tackle at 6-foot-4, 319 pounds. His playing time has increaed over the last three seasons even while he was cut and moved between four different teams.
Blackson's contract is for $5.5 million over two years according to NFL Network, which is a bit more than some reserve linemen were paid in the past, leading to speculation they're counting on him to have a bigger role.
Blackson was with the Titans as a fourth-round draft pick initially for two years, was cut just before the 2017 season after playing 23% of the snaps on defense each of the first two seasons.
New England had him briefly but then Houston signed him and he began to ascend. Arizona signed him after his contract expired. He has 101 tackles and six sacks. Last year he made nine starts with career-highs of 2 1/2 sacks and 24 tackles.
The Bears made it under the salary cap on Wednesday without cutting Hicks or another other players.
Speculation over Hicks' departure or that of cornerback Kyle Fuller continued to increase because the Bears could be over the salary cap when newly acquired quarterback Andy Dalton signs his contract, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Both Hicks and Fuller made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and Fuller made it in 2019.
Hicks, 32, has been one of the league's most disruptive forces on the interior of the line.
Fuller is an expensive player in terms of cap space this year at $20 million, as a result of the contract the Bears restructured in the past. Of his $20 million cap hit, $13 million is in unguaranteed salary.
Hicks' cap hit is $12 million, $10.4 million of it in unguaranteed salary.
The Line on Angelo Blackson
| Seasons | Starts | Tackles | Tackles for Loss | Sacks | QB Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | 30 | 101 | 11 | 6 | 17 |
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