Akiem Hicks is as passionate about life as he is about football — and seems to get the most out of both. So striking that delicate balance between chilling out following the conclusion of the Bears’ offseason program while still preparing for one of the most highly anticipated seasons in recent memory probably isn’t that tricky for him.
“It’s all about just finding that final form for what’s going to carry me throughout the entire season,” the Bears’ Pro Bowl defensive end said Thursday after the Bears’ final mini-camp practice at Halas Hall. “So right now I’m about to go into my shell and I’m going to be hard to reach and hard to talk to. The only person that gets through is Mom.”
But there still is some mental tapering to do. “Just mold what I think will be a dominant defensive lineman for this season,” Hicks said.
Hicks is probably right behind Khalil Mack on a list of things the Bears didn’t have to worry about this offseason. At 29, he’s in the prime of his career and eager to take the next step after making his first Pro Bowl last season.
But the Bears had work to do on several other facets of the operation after a 12-4 season and home playoff loss to the Eagles that heightened expectations for 2019. And coach Matt Nagy was happy with the results, as he always is.
The regular season will be the true test of how much the Bears accomplished in an all-important offseason. They have an unsettled kicker situation and uncertainty about the availability of tight end Trey Burton (sports hernia surgery) and wide receiver Anthony Miller (shoulder surgery). But on all other fronts, they feel they’re on schedule. Here are the key narratives that sound so good heading into camp, albeit with much to prove:
- The offense was able to hone a true chemistry between quarterback Mitch Trubisky, the offensive line and his various weapons. A year ago they were learning the offense and each other.
- Trubisky’s familiarity with the offense and his receiving targets have helped give him a command of the huddle and the team that is expected to fuel a quantum leap in production.
- The defense, which returns 10 starters — including four Pro Bowl players and three alternates — became acclimated to new coordinator Chuck Pagano, in what they hope to be a “seamless transition” from defensive mastermind Vic Fangio.
- Center Cody Whitehair and left guard James Daniels flipped positions at the beginning of the offseason program — giving them maximum time to adjust and putting both players in positions they excelled in at the college level.
- Rookie running back David Montgomery is getting rave reviews — possibly even better than advertised — as a better fit for Nagy’s offense in place of the departed Jordan Howard.
- Mack, linebacker Roquan Smith, wide receiver Allen Robinson and right guard Kyle Long all are getting a full dose of the offseason program as established starters after limited or no exposure to it last year. Mack wasn’t here. Smith was a rookie behind Nick Kwiatkoski. Robinson and Long were coming off offseason surgeries.
Next stop, Bourbonnais. Nagy, like everybody else will get away from it all following the offseason program. But with excitement and anticipation so high, it will be tough to avoid thinking about football.
“In certain ways, [the season] never ends,” Nagy said. “It won’t necessarily end when we leave here the next couple of days. But I think it’s important that I make sure I’m still a good dad, a good husband, and during the season you don’t get any of that. And that’s still your obligation.
“But we’ll be going some places with my family and I’ll put football aside for a little bit, because that’ll make me better … and better in the season.”
