Vikings Fans Are Asking for This Man Again
During a Sunday Night Football loss at the Denver Broncos, the Minnesota Vikings lost defensive tackle Dean Lowry to a pectoral injury.
It is unclear as of Monday afternoon if the ailment is minor or season-ending.
Vikings Fans Are Asking for This Man Again
In light of Lowry’s injury, especially if it’s deemed long-term, Minnesota may need a replacement, and Vikings fans used social media Sunday night to call for the free-agent addition of Akiem Hicks.
The 34-year-old last played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, starting 11 games, and has remained a free agent for all of 2023. If Lowry’s injury is grave, onboarding Hicks may actually check boxes for Minnesota.
And this isn’t the first time Vikings fans have summoned Hicks. When 2023 began, and the defense was porous out the gate, the same crowd asked for Hicks’ acquisition, to no avail. In fact, Hicks even acknowledged Vikings fans’ requests.
Hicks tweeted on September 22nd, “That Viking love has been nice all day, I appreciate the interest. Always had fun strappin it on against you. As a competitor you hope to receive the respect of your opponent. The respect of the fan base is a very nice bonus. skol.”
The veteran defender has previously spent time with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and aforementioned Buccaneers. He’s banked 409 tackles, 115 QB hits, 75 tackles for loss, 41.5 sacks, and 6 forced fumbles in 11 NFL seasons. And as a free agent, Hicks is perhaps waiting to latch onto a contender for one or two final seasons. Whether that’s the Vikings is the big what-if.
Too, if Hicks sounds or looks familiar, it’s for good reason. The defender routinely bullied Vikings quarterbacks and running backs during his Bears tenure from 2016 to 2021. Vikings fans are intimately familiar with Hicks’ game. The one-time Pro Bowler fetched a 61.9 Pro Football Focus score last year with Tampa Bay.
Minnesota was backhandedly linked to Hicks in 2022 free agency, and Bleacher Report suggested Hicks’ services for the Vikings about two months ago.
The Vikings have $7.3 million in available cap space as of November 20th, according to OverTheCap.com.
Brian Flores’ defense ranks 10th leaguewide after Week 11 per EPA/Play.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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