Ha Ha Clinton Dix ‘best year as a pro’ ; what he’s worth in NFL free agency

During free agency last season the Redskins let Ha Ha Clinton-Dix walk, signing safety Landon Collins to a six-year $84 million contract instead.

Ha Ha on the other hand signed a ‘prove-it’ $3 million one-year contract with the Chicago Bears, making him the fourteenth highest deal signed during last season in the process.

For the Bears, Clinton-Dix started all 16 games for the season playing all but six of Chicago’s 1073 defensive snaps.

As a matter of fact, the ex-Packer and Redskin is yet to miss a game in his entire NFL career, starting every game except six in his rookie season.

Teams will be keen in free agency, lining up for a Pro Bowler safety without any added baggage, no injury history to be concerned of.

“I think this was one of my best years as a pro”,

Ha Ha’s prove-it season with the Bears was all about proving he could replicate the 2016 Pro Bowl version of himself was still around.

Last month he was asked whether he thinks he could attract a larger contract as a free agent in 2020 compared to last season.

“Most definitely. I think this was one of my best years as a pro,” Clinton-Dix told the Chicago Sun-Times.

His self assessment is reflective of a a defensive unit that ranked #1 in the NFC. He recovered 2 fumbles and intercepted 2 passes, including a touchdown return against his former Redskins.

Ha Ha recorded a career-low 78 tackles however managed a 67.0 passing efficiency rating for quarterbacks throwing against him.

He’s made it known he’d prefer to stay at the Bears. “I would love to play with this guy for the rest of my career,” Clinton-Dix said in reference to his safety partner Eddie Jackson.

The Bears however are struggling for cap, with the sixth least amount of cap space to spare likely pricing the Bears out of keeping Ha Ha in Chicago.

Clinton-Dix will be competing in free agency with the likes of the Viking’s Anthony Harris, Bronco’s Justin Simmons, Patriots’ Devin McCourty, Panthers’ Tre Boston and Jimmie Ward of the 49ers.

“I just want to be a mentor, be able to give back and show people that it’s not a bad thing to be in criminal justice or be a cop”

The Bears boasted one of the best defenses in the NFL last season boasted by Ha Ha hunting down in the secondary.

Off the field he’s pursuing a law enforcement career post football, hunting down criminals, and he’s already finished a criminal justice degree at the University of Alabama.

“Growing up as a little kid, you’re always told, ‘If you see the police, tell us.’ So you’re like, ‘Whoa, are they the bad people, or not?’ It makes you think,” Clinton-Dix said while at the Packers.

“I just want to be a mentor, be able to give back and show people that it’s not a bad thing to be in criminal justice or be a cop, if that’s what you want to”.

If the Bears want to retain Ha Ha to police the Chicago secondary, he’ll likely command somewhere in the $10 million region annually, meaning the Bears will need to keep some cap space.

For Chicago to maintain the level their defensive unit has played the last couple of seasons, they’ll need to pay up, otherwise, Ha Ha will be at his fourth team in three seasons.

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I'm just a 30-something year old who loves sports, but I ain’t flexin’. I’m a completely amateur sports writer ‘journalist’ inspired by US and UK sports covering basketball, soccer, American football and more. I’m not a pretender, it’s a hobby and if I sound like I’m half street half corporate talk that’s my holistic approach. Peace bro.