When Eddie Goldman missed mandatory minicamps earlier this month, speculation started to run wild. Could he be opting out a second time? Will he retire? Is he unhappy with his contract? His silence wasn’t helping matters. Even the Chicago Bears coaching staff was surprised the 27-year old chose not to attend. This raised fears that the defense might have to go another year without one of their key members.
Thankfully it appears those concerns are overblown. Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron has it on good authority that Goldman will be present at Halas Hall for training camp when players report on July 31st. There will be no holdouts or an opt out. Zimmerman has a strong track record of connections to the team. So when he puts something like this out, it tends to be accurate.
A welcome relief for this team.
I can confirm from a source very close to the situation that the #Bears' Eddie Goldman will indeed be reporting to training camp on time.
He will not he holding out or opting out as any of the recent rampant speculation has suggested.
— Bill Zimmerman (@BillTZimmerman) June 24, 2021
With Goldman in the mix, the Bears’ defensive line suddenly looks like their biggest strength on the entire team. He, Akiem Hicks, and Bilal Nichols should be a formidable starting trio. Then Mario Edwards Jr., Mike Pennel, Khyiris Tonga, and Angelo Blackson give them a great mix of young and experienced depth. Something they didn’t always have last season due to Goldman’s opt out and injuries too.
Subscribe to the BFR podcast and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
If this group plays up to expectations, it is going to be difficult for opposing offenses to control the trenches. Especially when it comes to running the football. The previous three years Goldman was on the field, the Bears had the 11th, 1st, and 9th-ranked run defenses in the NFL. Without him last year, they sank to 15th. His absence was noticed often.
Eddie Goldman presence will make life easier for others
By handling the dirty work in the middle, Hicks and Nichols will be able to focus more on what they do best in 2021. That is providing interior pressure on the quarterback. Something they weren’t always able to focus on last year as they had to do extra duty filling the void Goldman left behind. Another part of the ripple effect his exit had. As for the rest of the defense? That remains to be seen.
Eddie Goldman returning won’t be the primary focus once training camp is in full swing. It will be in two areas. The cornerback competition and the state of the pass rush. Kyle Fuller and Buster Skrine both left this offseason, leaving two considerable voids in the Bears’ starting lineup to fill. Then there is the lingering issue with Robert Quinn. His health was a constant concern last year and it doesn’t appear to have gone away to start this year either.
Can he rebound from his disappointing two-sack campaign last season?
He better or he will cement himself as the worst Bears free agent signing in history by a comfortable margin. Perhaps Goldman eating up blocks in the middle will have a cascade effect, allowing him to see more single blocks. Then again he saw his fair share last year too. Either way, defensive coordinator Sean Desai can rest a little easier going into next month.