Chicago Bears release nose tackle Eddie Goldman

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - The Chicago Bears released nose tackle Eddie Goldman on Monday.

Slowed by knee and ankle injuries as well as a stint on the COVID-19 list last season, Goldman set career lows with a half-sack and one tackle for loss. He sat out the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns and never regained the form he showed in 2019, when he was a Pro Bowl alternate.

Drafted out of Florida State by Chicago in the second round in 2015, Goldman has started 73 of the 81 games he has played and has 13 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.

The Bears decided to make big changes after going 6-11 last season and missing the playoffs for the ninth time in 11 years. They fired general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy, replacing them with GM Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus.

Last week, Chicago agreed to a blockbuster trade sending star pass rusher Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for two draft picks, two people familiar with the negotiations confirmed to The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade can’t become official until the start of the new league year on Wednesday.