The Minnesota Vikings have reached a deal with free-agent linebacker Jordan Hicks, the team announced Tuesday.
Terms were not released, but multiple reports said the two-year deal was worth $12 million.
The Arizona Cardinals released Hicks last week in a move that saved the team $6.5 million on their salary cap.
Hicks, who turns 30 in July, has started 51 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak among all NFL linebackers. He played at a high level last season, registering 116 tackles and four sacks, but the Cardinals made the move to give fellow inside linebacker Zaven Collins, drafted in the first round last year, more playing time.
The Vikings already have veteran middle linebacker Eric Kendricks on their roster, but new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell has said he plans to use both the 3-4 and 4-3 schemes. Hicks thrived in the Cardinals’ 3-4 and wore the green dot on his helmet, which signaled he was calling defensive plays.
Hicks signed with the Cardinals in 2019 and posted more than 100 tackles in all three seasons with Arizona, including a career-best 150 his first year there.
He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, who selected him in the third round of the 2015 draft. He missed 21 regular-season games due to a variety of injuries during his time with the Eagles but didn’t miss a game (all starts) in three seasons with the Cardinals.
Hicks has career numbers of 638 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 11 interceptions.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.