Coach Calls Eddie Goldman One of the Top Players in the NFL

When thinking about the Chicago Bears front seven, the first names to come up are always the same. It starts with Khalil Mack and then Akiem Hicks, Roquan Smith, Danny Trevathan, and Leonard Floyd. Even second-year man Bilal Nichols has gotten a lot of attention lately. Once again it feels like people continue to overlook a lynchpin to their entire operation. He is nose tackle, Eddie Goldman.

Here's a guy who had the best season of his career in 2018. He had three sacks, five tackles for a loss, three quarterback hits, and a safety. He also ranked as the 11th-best defensive tackle in the NFL against the run. If people bothered to watch the tape, they'd see how dominant he has been at times. The guy makes life so much easier for others around him. One person who is tired of the disrespect is Bears defensive line coach Jay Rodgers.

He told Adam Jahns of The Athletic that it's high time Goldman got more attention. He's not only a crucial part of the Bears defense, he's also one of the best football players in the game.

“He’s one of the top players in the league — period,” defensive line coach Jay Rodgers said during the offseason program. “At the nose position, then playing in a sub-three-technique or an A-gap player, there’s not many people that do the things that he does.”

Eddie Goldman is a victim of the position he plays

Remember how experts say it's tough to evaluate offensive linemen because they have no stats? The same can be said for nose tackles. That position by its very nature isn't meant to stockpile notable numbers like sacks or tackles. Their job is to own the middle of the line of scrimmage, eat up blocks, stop the run and free up opportunities for teammates. It's rare for players at that position to get any sort of notoriety.

It also doesn't help that he's surrounded by stars on his own defense. Either way, what Rodgers says is true. Goldman absolutely deserved attention from the Pro Bowl voters last season. He is one of those rare types who is hard to replace because he can do so much. Maybe this season under the more aggressive Chuck Pagano he can start to show people even more of what he can do. Then again, being the team player he is, he'll likely suffer in silence.