As NFL’s free agency is underway, the Chicago Bears have made one expected move official in releasing nose tackle Eddie Goldman.
Goldman’s release was first reported last Friday by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who said the Bears were trying to trade Goldman. But when they were unable to find a trade partner, they decided to part ways with the 28-year-old veteran, who’s expected to have a nice market in free agency.
He was slated to have a $11.8 million cap hit in 2022, which was the fourth-highest on the team behind defensive end Robert Quinn, safety Eddie Jackson and offensive lineman Cody Whitehair.
Goldman’s release frees up $6.7 million in salary cap space for the 2022 season.
We have released NT Eddie Goldman.@Hyundai | #DaBearshttps://t.co/0gf3amewIU
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 14, 2022
Goldman was a former second-round pick by the Bears, and he was one of the NFL’s most underrated players for many years. He was an integral part of Chicago’s defensive line, where he was a dominant run stuffer.
But after opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, Goldman wasn’t the same in his return in 2021. He had his worst season with the Bears, registering just 22 tackles, including one tackle-for-loss, and 0.5 sack.
The Bears are expected to sign defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi to a three-year deal worth $40.5 million with $26.35 million guaranteed. Ogunjobi is expected to occupy the 3-technique spot in Matt Eberflus’ defense.
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