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Chicago Bears: Eddie Goldman Gives D Much-Needed Anchor

By Kyle Brutman

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One night after the Chicago Bears selected the highly-touted wide receiver out of West Virginia, Kevin White, general manager Ryan Pace went out and got FSU defensive tackle Eddie Goldman with the 39th overall pick.

Bears legend Dick Butkus enthusiastically endorsed Goldman to Chicago while he was making the selection, and so am I.

While I entertained the idea of the Bears going with the 12th overall pick Danny Shelton since the beginning of the draft-scouting process, Goldman is just as big at 336 pounds and is two inches taller.

The main reason why I loved Shelton so much was because of his size and his pass rushing ability. Goldman has the size–and he’s almost 25 pounds heavier than the Bears’ next-heaviest DT–but pass-rushing ability is a little less polished than that of Shelton.

Nothing a little coaching from one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL can’t fix. Vic Fangio was a star in coaching the 3-4 scheme at San Francisco during his tenure, and he now has his hands on one of the biggest defensive tackle he’s had the opportunity to coach.

Fangio knows that the Bears have let up am NFL-worst 4.9 yards per rush in the last two seasons, so the need to upgrade the rush defense is imperative. The selection of Goldman gives the run-D an instant boost that area, as he knows how to hold his own in the trenches and can play well in the two-gap–something that is of great significance in the 3-4.

Another factor that may come to benefit all parties involved is the relationship with Goldman and the Bears veteran DL, Jeremiah Ratliff.

While the two have not formally met or talked to each other, Goldman views Ratliff with very high esteem, according to Louis Bien of SB Nation.

In the interview conducted by Bien, Goldman says that Ratliff is the “favorite of my generation.” He even wore No. 90 at FSU to honor Ratliff, as well as former Jaguar Tony Brackens.

Goldman’s favorite thing about Ratliff is his versatility on the line, and it is no coincidence that he is just a versatile as Ratliff was in his prime. He gathered plenty of experience in both the 4-3 and the 3-4 at FSU.

It’s also no coincidence that the Bears picked Goldman with the second pick, as Pace probably had the Goldman-Ratliff situation in mind.

I think that this was the best possible place for him to land. He will be able to learn the position under the player he watched most when learned to play the position. He’ll be going from watching him on tape, to having face-to-face interaction every single day.

Even without the presence of Ratliff, Goldman’s ability to shed blockers with quick jarring hands is something that the Bears needed in order to improve on defense as much as possible.

Ryan Pace’s first NFL Draft has been nothing but right on the nose in the first two rounds. He has been able to address two enormous needs at the wide receiver and nose tackle positions, while also getting elite talent at said areas.

Next: Chicago Bears: Kevin White a Home Run at No. 7

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