The Chicago Bears suffered a brutal blow to their defense when nose tackle Eddie Goldman chose to opt out of the 2020 season due to health and safety concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Goldman’s absence will be felt in the middle of that defensive line, especially when it comes to clogging up running lanes and doing the dirty work in the trenches. Which means that the Bears defense is going to need some of those players on the defensive line to step up in Goldman’s absence.
Our Bears Wire staff shares their thoughts on which player they believe will rise to the occasion in Goldman’s absence.
Alyssa: DT Bilal Nichols
While the loss of Eddie Goldman is a devastating one, it does provide an opportunity for someone like defensive tackle Bilal Nichols to step up in his absence, especially given that Nichols is going to see an increased workload. Nichols was already expected to be a big contributor this season. But with Goldman’s absence, it’s more imperative than ever that Nichols go from average to great on this defensive line.
The Bears have one of the best run defenses in the NFL last season, a testament to Goldman’s ability to clog up running lanes. Now, Nichols, a former fifth-round pick out of Delaware, has an opportunity to step up in that same area, something he’s already shown he can do. Losing Goldman is absolutely brutal for this defense. But if it allows Nichols to step up in his third season, there could certainly be a silver lining.
Brendan: DE Roy Robertson-Harris
Roy Robertson-Harris (RRH) was already one of my breakout players prior to the Eddie Goldman news. Now, he’s even more vital to the defense’s success in 2020. RRH has earned more and more playing time since breaking into the league in 2017, becoming a vital rotational player on the defensive line. Now, he’ll be asked to do even more to help make up for the loss of Goldman.
While his sack numbers have never been impressive, RRH is a disruptor on the line and uses his impressive physical stature to bully offensive linemen off their blocks. He stands to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Goldman’s absence and should play the most snaps of his career in 2020, barring injury. RRH has shown flashes of brilliance for a few years now. It’s time for him to put it all together.
Ryan: NT John Jenkins
Talk about being thrown into the fire. With Eddie Goldman opting out, there will be an opportunity for several players to step up this year. John Jenkins has been around the block, having been drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2013 Draft. He started a career-high 12 games in 2015, collecting 49 combined tackles, one tackle for loss, and half a sack.
The Bears are welcoming him back, after playing in eight games with the team during the 2017 campaign. Last year, with Miami, Jenkins played in all 16 games – including five starts – and recorded 34 combined tackles with two tackles for loss and a sack. The Bears are going to feel the loss of Eddie Goldman this year, but at 6-foot-3, 330 pounds, Jenkins’ experience and productivity in seven years should close the gap.
Greg: DT Bilal Nichols
You never want to lose a player, especially someone that produces like Eddie Goldman, but the beauty of the Bears defense is they have depth and versatility. At 6’3, 313-lbs, Bilal Nichols can clog the running lanes, just like Goldman has done. The 23-year old is expected to take a big jump in his third year after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
This is a great opportunity for Nichols to show that big jump after a down 2019 season where he recorded fewer sacks, tackles, tackles for loss, and QB hits compared to his rookie season the year before.
