Bears sign Eddie Goldman to four-year extension

In a move that was mentioned long ago by general manager Ryan Pace at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, the Bears have given their prized nose tackle Eddie Goldman a four-year extension worth $42 million with $25 million guaranteed, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

This is a smart, forward thinking extension that locks in one of the first players Pace drafted as a GM back in 2015. Sign him now and plug in other holes later. In his three seasons, Goldman has played in 36 of 48 games, only missing significant time due to a severe high ankle sprain suffered in early 2016. In that time frame, the former second-round pick has a total of 55 tackles and 8.5 sacks.

Looking at the box score solely doesn’t do Goldman proper justice, though. He is regarded as one of the very best point of attack, one gap nose tackles in football. He opens up space for linebackers such as Danny Trevathan to work. He occupies blockers as to keep the Bears’ run defense fabric together in one piece. With the dominant Akiem Hicks in the fold with him on the defensive line, and Khalil Mack now getting extra attention, Chicago has quite the starting defensive unit in place for a good while.

Goldman isn’t a superstar by any means, but he’s an integral piece of the potentially special unit Chicago is putting together on defense. He’s versatile and disruptive player that can rush the passer occasionally if only you asked him to. He’s one of the keys to the Bears contending consistently again.

The Bears and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio have to be smiling from ear to ear. That’s because Goldman, still just 24, enters his fourth season in 2018 as deservedly one of the highest paid interior defensive linemen in the NFL.

Robert Zeglinski is an editor, writer, and producer for Windy City Gridiron, The Blitz Network, The Rock River Times, and other fine publications. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertZeglinski and reach him by email at robertpoduski@gmail.com.