Cleveland Browns: Should Akiem Hicks be a trade target?

Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks wants out of Chicago. Should the Cleveland Browns make the Bears an offer?

The Chicago Bears have decided to make Andy Dalton their starting quarterback for 2021, which has understandably left many key players unhappy. Cornerback Kyle Fuller is already on his way out, and Akiem Hicks has been given permission to seek a trade. Could the Cleveland Browns be in the market for his services?

He’s been overshadowed by other fantastic players in that Bears defense, but Hicks has been one of the NFL’s best interior defenders for quite a while. He’s a dominant run defender and is incredibly disruptive in the passing game. At 6-5, 332 pounds, he has an imposing frame, and his violent playstyle meshes perfectly with his physical ability. The Browns don’t have anyone that plays with Hicks’ edge and aggression, so that mentality would add a new dynamic on the line.

Hicks will turn 32 in November and is in the final year of his contract. He would carry a $10.4 million cap hit for his new team, which the Browns cannot currently afford to absorb. A restructure and extension would be ideal (and probably likely), but in order to get Hicks on the team in the first place, the Browns would need to create some money through restructuring current contracts.

The obvious choice is Sheldon Richardson, who is due to make $13.6 million this season, but who carries just a $1.6 million dead cap hit if released. Given the state of the defensive tackle market this offseason, Cleveland can’t really afford to move on from Richardson. The smarter option would be to add two years onto his contract and spread that money around, which would create the space needed to land Hicks.

Right now, the Browns have two quality starters in Richardson and Andrew Billings. Jordan Elliott showed promise as a rookie, but must become a much more consistent player. Cleveland lacks a backup one-tech, which is where Hicks would help. He’d likely start over Billings, but all four tackles would play a significant amount of snaps, as defensive coordinator Joe Woods loves to rotate those guys in and out, keeping them fresh.

Trade compensation will be an interesting subject, as the Bears are up against the salary cap, with no shot at contending in 2021, yet they refuse to do the smart thing and enter into a complete rebuild. A recent deal that might provide a framework is last year’s trade between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens that landed the Ravens Calais Campbell, who was also a stellar player in his early 30’s. Baltimore gave up a 2020 fifth-round pick, so that’s where negotiations between Cleveland and Chicago might start.

It would necessitate moving some money around, but landing Akiem Hicks would dramatically improve the Browns defensive front. That’s an area that the team must get stronger in if they want to win a Super Bowl.