Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks didn’t do much in a light practice Sunday. But just having him in uniform and on the turf at the Payton Center provided a lift for a team that needs everything it can muster for a strong finish to a heretofore disappointing season.
“Just to have him out there was great — you could see it in everybody’s faces,” said defensive end Nick Williams, who has had four of his six sacks and both of his fumble recoveries in place of Hicks. “Any time you get a player like Akiem Hicks back … it sparks this team — not only on the defensive side, but the offensive side, too.”
Hicks, a Pro Bowl player in 2018 whose value as an every-down impact player is rivaled only by linebacker Khalil Mack, practiced for the first time since suffering an ugly dislocated left elbow on the eighth defensive snap of the Bears’ loss to the Raiders on Oct. 6 in London. He was put on injured reserve on Oct. 15 and is eligible to return in Week 15 against the Packers at Lambeau Field.
Hicks was not available to the media after doing his rehab following Sunday’s practice. But coach Matt Nagy was hopeful Hicks would play against the Packers. And he said that Hicks would play if he’s ready regardless of whether the Bears still have playoff hopes heading into the Packers game.
“I hate to put any predictions out there, but I feel good where he’s at,” Nagy said. “It’s literally going to be another one of those day-by-day [situations] for the Packers.”
Sunday’s light practice was just a start, but an encouraging one. “He looked great to me when he was out there,” Williams said. “I know he was excited to be out there.”
The Bears’ defense has survived and even thrived at times without Hicks. With Hicks playing just those eight snaps against the Raiders in the past nine weeks (he also missed the Vikings game on Sept. 29 with a knee injury) the Bears have jumped from eighth in the NFL to fourth in total defense; dropped from fourth to fifth in yards per play; stayed at fourth in rushing yards per carry; improved from ninth to fourth in passing yards per play; and dropped from third to fourth in points allowed entering Week 13.
What they’ve lost without Hicks is the big-play/takeaway bite that made their defense a weapon last season. With Hicks out, the Bears have dropped from seventh to 23rd in interceptions per pass play and from sixth to 23rd in sacks per pass play.
Since Hicks went down, the Bears lost linebacker Danny Trevathan to the same injury in Week 10 against the Lions. But with defensive end Bilal Nichols recovered from a broken hand that forced him to miss Weeks 3-5 (the Redskins, Vikings and Raiders) and with linebacker Roquan Smith in peak form after a midseason lull following a personal issue, the Bears defense with Hicks would be pretty formidable.
“We’re just hoping he’s gonna come back,” Williams said. “He’s gonna spark this defense in a way that other players can’t. We’re glad to have him back. I know I’m glad to have him back. He makes everybody great around him — pulling offensive linemen off of you. You just want to step up your game even more when he’s on the field with you. It’s a great thing.”
Hicks’ presence on the Bears is so great, even offensive players are uplifted by his return. “Definitely,” wide receiver Allen Robinson said. “Akiem is one of our leaders. Whenever you get a guy like that back on the field, you feel energy.
“He’s a playmaker for us. We’ve seen him make a ton of plays. So just what he can bring to an overall game — from an offensive standpoint, whenever you have playmakers like that on the other side of the ball, you do feel that.”
