Another productive campaign Hicks accrued 116 tackles, five pass defenses, four sacks, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble in 17 games during the 2021 season. Impact It marked Hicks' third consecutive campaign in the Arizona desert with at least 100 tackles, but they occurred at slower pace (6.8 per game) than the previous two seasons (7.4 in 2020, 9.4 in 2019). Even though he has one year remaining on his contract, he's also looking over his shoulder at two recent first-round picks at his position. Second-year pro Isaiah Simmons stepped into a more prominent role this season and also racked up 105 tackles, while rookie Zaven Collins saw fewer and fewer snaps as the weeks passed by. Hicks acknowledged to Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site after the team's wild-card loss to the Rams that Simmons and Collins are the future at inside linebacker, meaning the seven-year veteran could find himself elsewhere in the fall.
JANUARY 21, 2022 • ROTOWIRE