Akiem Hicks is a career quality starter β a pass rusher whose body of work places Hicks in the top quarter of all players at the position historically. The Knox model values sustained contribution over flash, and Hicks's career arc reflects exactly that kind of reliable professional-grade performance.
Akiem Hicks
Height6'5"
Weight324 lb
BornNov 16, 1989
Age36
ConferenceCanada West Universities Athletic Association
Rookie yr2012
Draft2012 Β· Rd 3, Pick 89 Β· NO
All-Time Rank & Honors
career ranks, postseason ranks, awards, title context1x
Pro Bowls
A top 20% all-time edge rusher who consistently made an impact across multiple seasons. Average per-snap value reinforces the playmaking ability.
Career Value Β· VORP
VORP 125 Β· #813 Β· High-ValueWorth 125 points of value above a freely-available replacement edge rusher β top 18% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 8 of 11 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +15.6 on average.See board β
Seasons above replacement
8 cleared
3 replaced
Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it β adds 0, never a debit
51
Replacement
the KC-H bar
β
8
Seasons over
cleared the bar
Γ
+15.6
Avg surplus
peak +28
8 seasons Γ ~15.6 surplus β VORP 125
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at onceβno tab hopping.
4 grids split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | Snap Counts | Rushing | Advanced (EPA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | Off | Off% | Def | Def% | ST | ST% | Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb | Pass EPA | Rush EPA | Rec EPA | Pass AirYd | Rec AirYd | |||||
| 2012 | β | NO | 11 | β | 20 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2013 | β | NO | 14 | β | 55 | 28 | 27 | 8 | 5 | 4.5 | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 646 | 66.4% | 64 | 14.3% | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2014 | β | NO | 15 | β | 41 | 27 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 2.0 | 16.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 717 | 71.9% | 73 | 17.3% | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2015 | β | NE | 12 | β | 21 | 7 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 3.0 | 15.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 399 | 37.2% | 33 | 14.0% | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2016 | β | CHI | 16 | β | 49 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 7.0 | 35.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 930 | 87.0% | 79 | 18.6% | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2017 | β | CHI | 16 | β | 54 | 39 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 8.5 | 43.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 899 | 85.4% | 31 | 10.2% | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2018 | β | CHI | 16 | β | 49 | 35 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 7.5 | 35.5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | β | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1.0% | 780 | 74.4% | 24 | 9.3% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | 0 | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2018 | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | 2.6 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | β | CHI | 5 | β | 10 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1.0 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 192 | 54.8% | 1 | 4.0% | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2020 | β | CHI | 15 | β | 48 | 29 | 19 | 7 | 21 | 3.5 | 31.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 795 | 80.1% | β | 0.0% | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2021 | β | CHI | 8 | β | 23 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 3.5 | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 304 | 55.4% | β | 0.0% | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2022 | β | TB | 10 | β | 20 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1.0 | 7.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 399 | 55.4% | 1 | 4.0% | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| Career | β | 138 | β | 390 | 244 | 146 | 75 | 115 | 41.5 | 231.5 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1.0% | 6,061 | 66.8% | 306 | 11.5% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | 0 | β | 2.6 | β | 0 | 0 | |
Career EPA2.6Β·3 rushingΒ·2.6/season
Rushing
* GS not available from free sources β SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
Defense
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 23 | NO | 11 | β | 20 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 24 | NO | 14 | 11* | 55 | 28 | 27 | 8 | 5 | 4.5 | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 25 | NO | 15 | 11* | 41 | 27 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 2.0 | 16.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 26 | NE | 12 | 0* | 21 | 7 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 3.0 | 15.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | 27 | CHI | 16 | 14* | 49 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 7.0 | 35.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 28 | CHI | 16 | 14* | 54 | 39 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 8.5 | 43.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 29 | CHI | 16 | 12* | 49 | 35 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 7.5 | 35.5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 30 | CHI | 5 | 3* | 10 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1.0 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 31 | CHI | 15 | 12* | 48 | 29 | 19 | 7 | 21 | 3.5 | 31.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 32 | CHI | 8 | 5* | 23 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 3.5 | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 33 | TB | 10 | 6* | 20 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1.0 | 7.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 138 | 88* | 390 | 244 | 146 | 75 | 115 | β | β | 0 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
* GS not available from free sources β SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
Snap Counts
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Off | Off% | Def | Def% | ST | ST% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 24 | NO | 16 | 11* | β | 0.0% | 646 | 66.4% | 64 | 14.3% |
| 2014 | 25 | NO | 15 | 11* | β | 0.0% | 717 | 71.9% | 73 | 17.3% |
| 2015 | 26 | NE | 16 | 0* | β | 0.0% | 399 | 37.2% | 33 | 14.0% |
| 2016 | 27 | CHI | 16 | 14* | β | 0.0% | 930 | 87.0% | 79 | 18.6% |
| 2017 | 28 | CHI | 16 | 14* | β | 0.0% | 899 | 85.4% | 31 | 10.2% |
| 2018 | 29 | CHI | 16 | 12* | 3 | 1.0% | 780 | 74.4% | 24 | 9.3% |
| 2019 | 30 | CHI | 5 | 3* | β | 0.0% | 192 | 54.8% | 1 | 4.0% |
| 2020 | 31 | CHI | 15 | 12* | β | 0.0% | 795 | 80.1% | β | 0.0% |
| 2021 | 32 | CHI | 9 | 5* | β | 0.0% | 304 | 55.4% | β | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 33 | TB | 11 | 6* | β | 0.0% | 399 | 55.4% | 1 | 4.0% |
| Career | 135 | 88* | 3 | β | 6,061 | β | 306 | β |
* GS not available from free sources β SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
Advanced (EPA)
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Pass EPA | Rush EPA | Rec EPA | Pass AirYd | Rec AirYd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 29 | β | β | 12* | β | 2.6 | β | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 12* | β | β | β | 0 | 0 |
* GS not available from free sources β SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
Advanced Rushing (2018+)
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | YBC | YBC/Att | YAC | YAC/Att | BrkTkl | Att/Br | 1D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 29 | CHI | 16 | 12* | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | β | 1 |
| Career | 16 | 12* | 1 | β | 0 | β | 0 | β | 1 |
* GS not available from free sources β SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
Advanced Defense & Coverage (2018+)
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tgt | Cmp | Cmp% | RateAll | ADOT | Prss | Hrry | QBKD | Bltz | MissTkl | Miss% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 29 | CHI | 16 | 12* | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 91.7 | 4.0 | 29 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0.1 |
| 2019 | 30 | CHI | 5 | 3* | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | 9 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0.1 |
| 2020 | 31 | CHI | 15 | 12* | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | 29 | 9 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0.1 |
| 2021 | 32 | CHI | 9 | 5* | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | 11 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0.1 |
| 2022 | 33 | TB | 11 | 6* | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 |
| Career | 56 | 38* | 1 | 1 | β | β | β | 82 | 29 | 35 | 1 | 14 | β |
* GS not available from free sources β SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
KV-H Anatomy
KV-H 68 Β· Strong StarterA strong starter career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 68 of 100, era-normalized against sacks/g peers across 11 scored seasons.
63
Sustained
career value
Γ.6
76
Peak
best 3 seasons
Γ.4
Γ1
Longevity
career length
Blend 68.2 Γ longevity 1 = KV-H 68Β· confidence 97%
What builds the career mark of 63
On-field 46.1
Availability 16.9
On-field production Staying available
Season-by-season quality (era-relative sacks/g)
2012bestavg 59elite 702022
Team Carrier Evidence
Ranked #584 of 600 by seasons where high individual production happened on low-win teams. Score aggregates only tracked StatVault categories.
All-Time Standing
how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position22
Depth
of 100
Reached 21% of the all-time Sacks leader β a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.
21% of the all-time Sacks leader21
0 categories β₯25% of the all-time leader0
2.64 EPA/season over 1 season51
A 0β100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data β career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence β so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite β₯ 85 Β· Strong β₯ 65 Β· Solid β₯ 45 Β· Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 93%.
Per-Snap Impact
Edge Rushers Β· proprietary Β· 2012+55
Above average
SIS
Disruption/1003.984Snap share66.8%Def snaps6,061ReliableCV 0.29
Production per snap β the box score normalized by opportunity. SIS is z-scored within edge rushers, shrinkage-regularized so small samples don't spike, over the NFL snap-count era (2012+).
Career Aging Trajectory
vs. position group average Β· KV-H basisAmber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average edge rushers aging curve. Group peak age: 25. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).
Postseason Career
7 playoff gamesDefense
Tkl22Solo12Ast10TFL3QBHits4Sk0.5Dis7.5PD1
College stats are not imported for this profile yet.
StatVault has the verified college attribution (Regina; Sacramento City), but no parsed college box-score table is present in this profile artifact. The section stays here so every profile has a consistent college-stats landing point without fabricating unavailable rows.
Reference Graph
Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters β every name is linked.
Top Teammates
Pat O'DonnellP6yCody WhitehairG6yDanny TrevathanILB6yDeAndre Houston-CarsonDB6yDeon BushSAF6yJimmy GrahamTE5yCharles Leno Jr.OT5yPatrick ScalesLS5yBobby MassieOT5yEddie GoldmanNT5ySherrick McManisDB5yKhalil MackOLB4yJohn JenkinsDT4yLeonard FloydDE4yAllen RobinsonWR4yRoquan SmithILB4yRoy Robertson-HarrisDE4yKyle FullerCB4yBilal NicholsDT4yJames DanielsG4yNick KwiatkoskiILB4yMitchell TrubiskyQB4yKyle LongG4yTarik CohenRB4y
2012 Draft ClassΒ· this player went #89
Franchise Succession
the room, before and afterAkiem inherited the Chicago Bears DL room from Leonard Floyd (2016β2019), and handed it to Roy Robertson-Harris (2017β2020).
Similar Players
Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0β100%).
Movementderived from season history
- 2022team change
Joined TB (from CHI)
- 2022final season
Last recorded season with TB
- 2016team change
Joined CHI (from NE)
- 2015team change
Joined NE (from NO)
- 2012draft
Drafted by NO β Round 3, Pick 89
Athletic & Unique Profile
verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts6'5" / 324 lb
Frame
Injury History
11 career games missed (Out)From nflverse weekly injury reports Β· coverage begins 2009.
| Season | Team | Games Out | Designations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | TB | 5 | W3OutΒ· FootW4OutΒ· FootW5OutΒ· FootW6OutΒ· FootW7OutΒ· FootW8QuestionableΒ· FootW9QuestionableΒ· Foot / Not injury related - resting playerW13QuestionableΒ· FootW14QuestionableΒ· Foot |
| 2021 | CHI | 4 | W3QuestionableΒ· Illness / KneeW5DoubtfulΒ· GroinW6QuestionableΒ· GroinW7QuestionableΒ· GroinW8QuestionableΒ· GroinW11OutΒ· AnkleW12OutΒ· AnkleW13OutΒ· AnkleW14QuestionableΒ· AnkleW15QuestionableΒ· AnkleW17QuestionableΒ· Covid Ramp upW18OutΒ· Ankle |
| 2020 | CHI | 0 | W12QuestionableΒ· HamstringW13QuestionableΒ· HamstringW16QuestionableΒ· Ankle |
| 2019 | CHI | 1 | W4QuestionableΒ· KneeW5QuestionableΒ· KneeW16QuestionableΒ· ElbowW17OutΒ· Elbow |
| 2018 | CHI | 0 | W13QuestionableΒ· Achilles |
| 2017 | CHI | 0 | W12QuestionableΒ· Knee |
| 2014 | NO | 0 | W16QuestionableΒ· Ankle |
| 2013 | NO | 0 | W2QuestionableΒ· KneeW12QuestionableΒ· BackW19QuestionableΒ· Ankle |
| 2012 | NO | 1 | W17OutΒ· Knee |
Knox
StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works β
Historical Knox Β· KV-H
Era-normalized career quality β z-scored against 11-season peers. See all β
68
peak 76
Season Report CardsΒ· KV-H era-normalized per season
C2012
B2013
C+2014
C+2015
B+2016
B+2017
B+2018
F2019
B2020
B2021
C2022
Availability
Career durability β games played vs. scheduled, across 11 seasons.
Era Translator
Sacks translated to the 2025NFL β each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.
| Season | Actual Sacks | Sacks/G | β 2025 Sacks | β 2025 /G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 5+0.5 | 0.3 |
| 2014 | 2 | 0.1 | 2 | 0.1 |
| 2015 | 3 | 0.3 | 4+1 | 0.3 |
| 2016 | 7 | 0.4 | 7 | 0.4 |
| 2017 | 8.5 | 0.5 | 9+0.5 | 0.5 |
| 2018 | 7.5 | 0.5 | 8+0.5 | 0.5 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0.2 | 4+3 | 0.2 |
| 2020 | 3.5 | 0.2 | 4+0.5 | 0.2 |
| 2021 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 7+3.5 | 0.4 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0.1 | 2+1 | 0.1 |
Data: nflverse:players, nflverse:player_stats, nflverse:player_stats_def, nflverse:snap_counts, nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:advanced-epa (CC-BY 4.0), nflverse:injuries Β· multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle Β· updated 6/18/2026
Career Value Β· VORP
125 career value over replacement β #813 all-time of 4,642. 11.4/season above a replacement-level EDGE.
Draft OutcomeSteal β
Pick #89 (Rd 3) Β· NO Β· 2012 Β· +29.3 vs expected KV-H
68actual
38.7 expected Β· Ξ+29.3
Fan Rating
Rate Akiem Hicks β All-Time
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