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Grade Chicago Bears sign Elijah Hicks
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Sentiment Analysis
A+
Very Positive
NegativeMixedPositive
Bears re-signing Hicks is a solid depth retention move, nothing transformative. Five headlines confirm this is organizational continuity, not a splash acquisition. Hicks expressed gratitude for being believed in, suggesting a backup/rotational safety role. Fans note this signing came while losing Kevin Byard, indicating transition period. Chicago's secondary depth remains adequate but underwhelming for competing contenders.
📰5 news
Contract Value Index (CVI)
D
Below Value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
Chicago's signing of Elijah Hicks on a one-year, $2.6M deal earns a D Contract Value Index (CVI)—a marker of below-market efficiency that signals a depth-oriented move rather than a high-conviction roster bet. At safety, a $2.6M AAV typically buys rotational depth or a reserve-role contributor, positioning Hicks as a roster-filler acquisition rather than a plug-and-play starter; without the current-season production data to reference, the deal appears structured as short-term insurance or competition depth ahead of the regular season. The one-year structure offers the Bears flexibility and minimal downside risk—no multi-year commitment or void years to haunt the cap—but the modest AAV also suggests limited upside or proven demand from other suitors. This is the kind of transaction that lands on a depth chart; it neither bolsters a championship window nor addresses an urgent positional crisis. For a team sitting at #2 in the NFC North with playoff positioning already locked, the signing reflects pragmatic squad building rather than aggressive roster reinforcement, consistent with the preseason phase and the organization's current operational posture.
Contract Details
- Length
- 1 year
- Total Value
- $2.6M
- AAV
- $2.6M
- Guaranteed
- $1.7M
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About this NFL transaction
The Chicago Bears signed Elijah Hicks (S) on March 11, 2026. FanVerdicts covers every reported NFL move — and asks fans to weigh in on each one. Cast your Fan Verdict on this move, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts brings its own read too — sentiment and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index D, Sentiment A+.
Contract details below show the years, total value, average annual value, and guaranteed money behind the Contract Value Index read. That read does not change once written — it reflects market expectations at the moment of signing, recomputed only if the contract is restructured.
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