File Akiem Hicks under the same category as Akeem Ayers and Jonathan Casillas from a year ago.
Like Ayers and Casillas, the Pats traded for Hicks during the season to help bolster the defense, which he did. And now he has spun his performance on the New England interior defensive line into a new contract in free agency -- this one with the Chicago Bears.
The Bears announced Sunday night that they had inked the 324-pound defensive tackle to a two-year deal.
Ever since free agency opened on March 9, it seemed unlikely that Hicks would re-sign in New England.