When the national media discusses the Chicago Bears defense, the first player that springs to mind is All-Pro edge rusher Khalil Mack, and rightfully so. But this Bears defense’s success hinges on more than just Mack’s contributions.
Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks remains the heart and soul of Chicago’s defense, bringing a ferociousness and tenacity every time he steps out on the field. It’s that reason why the Bears missed him in the middle of that defense last season after he was placed on injured reserve with an elbow injury following Week 5.
NFL.com’s Cynthia Frelund believes Hicks is among the NFL’s most under-appreciated players — and she’s not wrong — noting that on a defense with Mack, offenses need to account for the pressure Hicks brings, which often frees up Mack to get after the quarterback.
One way to see how pressure fronts work best together is to look at the Bears last season. NGS shows that in the first three games of 2019, Khalil Mack earned a pressure on 16.4 percent of pass rushes. But then Hicks missed Week 4 with a knee injury and went on injured reserve with an elbow injury suffered in Week 5, and from Week 4 on, Mack was only able to generate pressure on 8.7 percent of pass rushes.
It’s worth noting that Hicks did play a little in Week 5 and came back in Week 15, so this is an imperfect measurement, but the point still stands: When offenses have to account for the potential of pressure coming from many directions, the number of double (or triple) teams decreases, and strategic play-calling can often benefit the defense. I also wrote about Hicks last season, if you want more evidence.
Hicks has arguably been general manager Ryan Pace’s best free-agent signing since his tenure began in 2015. Hicks has become one of the NFL’s most feared defensive lineman, and he thrives getting after the quarterback. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2018 after a season that included 55 tackles and 7.5 sacks.
While Mack will always be the one that grabs the headlines when it comes to the Bears defense, Hicks is also a foundational piece of this unit that makes it the success it is.
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