NEWSLETTER
With veterans scheduled to start showing up for training camp today and the NFL’s opt-out date of August 1st looming, I was prepared to start seeing names of players opting out.
And the first Bears player to do so is in the heart of Chicago’s defense:
Sources: #Bears standout DT Eddie Goldman has informed the team he plans to opt out due to health concerns related to COVID-19. Goldman has been a standout in the middle of Chicago’s D since 2015.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 28, 2020
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reports Bears nose tackle Eddie Goldman plans to opt out of the 2020 season.
Goldman, 26, has been a stout defender upon his arrival as a rookie in 2015. And as he was set to enter his sixth season with the Bears, Goldman (who signed a four-year extension in 2018) figured to be an anchor in the middle of the defensive line between Akiem Hicks and the Bilal Nichols/Roy Robertson-Harris combo. It’ll be quite a blow to lose Goldman, even if the team has an experienced nose tackle such as John Jenkins as a reserve on the depth chart.
Ultimately, I can’t knock Goldman for opting out. Because even though football players are competitors driven to win, there are some things that are bigger than football. And with health and safety being paramount, I support (and understand) Goldman’s decision.
This is a tremendous loss for the #Bears' defense, but first and foremost, if opting out is the right decision for Eddie Goldman, it's the right decision. Tons of respect to him for making what I'm sure was a difficult choice here.
— JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) July 28, 2020
As for the cap hit, those details are confusing, but emerging:
The Bears will receive a salary cap credit of $7.85M for the 2020 season, as Eddie Goldman has a 2020 base salary of $4.75M and a 2020 roster bonus of $3M
Both are fully guaranteed and will toll to 2021 and remain fully guaranteed
Bears should have around $19M in 2020 cap space
— Brad Spielberger (@PFF_Brad) July 28, 2020
