Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace will have ample salary cap space to work with this offseason, but don’t expect all of it to go to free agents:
Ryan Pace said the Bears are already exploring contract extensions for Eddie Goldman and Adrian Amos.
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) February 28, 2018
The Bears are working to sign nose tackle Eddie Goldman and safety Adrian Amos to contract extensions. Once the new league year begins, both will be eligible for extensions, and, as it stands, both will be well-earned.
Amos had a breakout season in 2017 despite losing his starting job to rookie Eddie Jackson and playing a grand total of 16 snaps in the first three weeks. When Quintin Demps went down with a season-ending broken forearm, Amos took off and produced a season that landed him on Pro Football Focus’ All-Pro Team and Bleacher Report’s best free safety. Amos has long been lauded for his tackling and ability to help against the run, but finally made major strides defending the pass and came up with a memorable first interception in the team’s upset win against the Baltimore Ravens.
Goldman hasn’t put up spectacular numbers in his three years with the Bears, but was never expected to do so because of his responsibilities as the team’s nose tackle. The Florida State product was a second-round pick in 2015 who knows his role and has done it well. Instead of rushing the passer and racking up big sack numbers, Goldman has embraced the task of eating up space in run defense and garnering double-teams in the middle to free up other defenders to make big plays. It’s not a sexy job, but someone has to do it.
Both Goldman (2nd round) and Amos (fifth) were members of Pace’s first draft class and have been steady contributors to a defense that has improved in each of the last three seasons. With that in mind, it’s no wonder why the Bears would be exploring the possibilities of locking up to core pieces of their defense.