Bleacher Report has ranked Bears veteran Akiem Hicks as the best 3-4 defensive end in the NFL for the 2017 season.
Hicks led the Bears with 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles-for-loss and 20 quarterback hits while also recording 54 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
"Akiem Hicks had a breakout season in 2016, but there's a good chance you didn't know his name until he signed a four-year extension with the Chicago Bears in September," wrote scout Justis Mosqueda.
"His response to his first blockbuster contract? An 8.5-sack season, an elite year for an interior defensive lineman. According to Pro Football Reference, Hicks recorded 19.