Chicago Bears: Eddie Goldman needs to step up as a pass rusher

The Chicago Bears run-stopper needs to become a pass rusher as well.

The Chicago Bears defense needs to start to point the finger at themselves and use that as motivation this season to be better. Injuries are apart of football. Good players step up when a team desperately needs it.

I wrote about how Eddie Jackson needs to step up and play up to his contract, but an undervalued position and player needs to live up to his contract too. That player is the other Eddie on the team — Eddie Goldman. Just like every other Chicago Bears player, Eddie Goldman regressed last season as well.  After scoring an outstanding 88.6 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade during the 2018 season, Goldman regressed to a 70.7 grade.

There was a time that Vic Fangio wasn’t sure about Eddie Goldman. Especially after the year he performed his worst with one sack and a 65.2 PFF grade. Fangio flagged Goldman for being lazy and out of shape. My issue is the nose tackle is listed at 6’3 320 pounds. Goldman is known for stopping the run, I had hoped Goldman would become more than just a run stopper. While there is nothing wrong with just stopping the run, it is a passing league.

The 26-year-old nose tackle is four years younger and 32 pounds lighter than the force that is known as Akiem Hicks. Hicks first four years had him in that run-stopping role with the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots. Ryan Pace saw something much more in him than just being a dominant run-stopper.

Minus Hicks’ injury-plagued 2019, he achieved seven or more sacks a season with the Chicago Bears. Achieving that production as a pass-rusher is what Eddie Goldman needs to become. Goldman started young at 21-years-old but should be ready to take that role on as more than a run-stopper. If Goldman can become more robust and faster like Hicks became, Goldman, should be a star in the making.