Chicago Bears make key decision on future of former Florida State star
Eddie Goldman has spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears since he was selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft after an impressive career with the Florida State Seminoles.
As NFL Insider Ian Rapaport noted, the 28-year-old has produced at a high level for a long time in Chicago and will be in high demand for a team seeking an anchor on the defensive front.
Goldman played seven seasons with the Chicago Bears, finishing with 175 tackles, 18 quarterback hits and 13 sacks as he anchored the middle of the defensive line in Chicago’s 3-4 defense. He thrived in Vic Fangio’s scheme before Chuck Pagano kept the 3-4 and paved the way for Goldman to continue playing the nose. When Sean Desai took over as defensive coordinator in 2021, Goldman played a more conventional defensive tackle — finishing with 22 tackles, 0.5 sack, and one quarterback hit in 14 games.
he 28-year-old Goldman was a 2015 second-round pick of the Bears. Last year he played in 14 games, with 10 starts. He’s primarily a part-time run-stopper, which hasn’t been a particularly important decision as the NFL has become more of a passing league. Given that he was owed $8.8 million this season, it’s unsurprising that the Bears couldn’t find any trade partners.
Goldman joins Khalil Mack and Tarik Cohen as significant Bears players sent packing this week. Linebacker Danny Trevathan may be next, and new General Manager Ryan Poles will continue to reshape the roster he inherited.
Chicago Bears launch wave of moves beginning with blockbuster Mack trade to Chargers
The rebuild is on in Chicago.
The Bears are sending pass rusher Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers for a 2023 second-round draft pick and a 2024 sixth-round pick, according to multiple reports. Los Angeles is also taking on Mack’s entire contract — three years at $63.9 million — according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
That means Mack is heading to the AFC West to partner up with former Ohio State star Joey Bosa, which gives Brandon Staley an impressive one-two punch on defense.
In fact, it’s a nice reunion for Staley. He worked with Mack in Chicago in 2018 under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and helped the Bears become one of the best defenses in the NFL. Now getting ready for his second year as Chargers head coach, he’s getting Mack back as the AFC West continues to evolve.
Mack is a six-time Pro Bowler in his career, which started with the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders traded him to Chicago in 2018, where he battled injuries and made Pro Bowl appearances from 2018-20. He missed out on the game this year after an injury ended his season.
For Chicago, this is the first big move of new general manager Ryan Poles’ tenure. He’s taking over for Ryan Pace, who traded for Mack in the first place, as a first-time GM in Chicago. The trade also nets the Bears another pick in this year’s NFL Draft, bringing their total to six picks. As they try to build the team around Justin Fields, Chicago might not be done dealing just yet.
Mack is just the latest star to head to the AFC West after the Seattle Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos earlier this week. The Mack trade adds to the arms race in the division.