Chicago Bears: 5 Players who could replace Eddie Goldman in 2020
5. Brandon Mebane
Brandon Mebane is a 13-year veteran who’s plated in 182 games. He knows exactly what happens on the field. He’s seen it all so he won’t be fazed by anything. In 2019, he played in 13 games, starting all of them. He recorded 27 tackles and a sack.
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Mebane has a lot of miles on his body but he wants to show that he has another good season left in him. He probably won’t play as many snaps as Goldman would have, but he can work with the backups to get enough for him to be an effective player.
Playing one more season with the Chicago Bears’ elite defense should help him play as well as he could. There’s something about playing with elite players. You see how hard they prepare and play and that becomes contagious. On an elite defense, you don’t want to be the weak link so you raise your game.
At 6-1, 311 pounds, Mebane can plug up the middle. He can stand his ground and force the opposing running back to the edges where the defensive ends or the edge rushers lie in wait and make plays.
Mebane doesn’t need to be a Pro Bowl player. If he could just keep the middle of the line covered, the other guys can swarm in and do their thing. He doesn’t have to be exactly like Goldman because he just won’t be able to play like him. Goldman is a special player for the Bears and they need his replacement to just hold the line.