Bears sign NT Goldman to 4-year extension

The Chicago Bears re-signed nose tackle Eddie Goldman to a four-year contract extension, the team announced Friday. Although financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by the club, the NFL Network reported that Goldman's pact is worth more than $42 million, including $25 million guaranteed. The contract, which will make Goldman one of the highest-paid nose tackles in the NFL, runs through the 2022 season. "This is a key extension for the future of the Bears and an anchor for our defense," Bears general manager Ryan Pace said. "We are excited to be able to reward one of our own in Eddie. We put pride in drafting and developing players and Eddie has put the work in every day to earn this opportunity." A second-round draft pick of the Bears out of Florida State in the 2015 NFL Draft, Goldman started all 15 games in which he appeared in 2017, notching 1.5 sacks and a career-high 44 tackles. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Goldman, a first-team All-American at Florida State, had a career-best 4.5 sacks during his rookie season and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team. For his three-year career, Goldman has posted 84 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 15 quarterback hurries, 10 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. Last season, the Bears ranked 10th in the NFL in total defense and fewest first downs per game in 2017 and tied for third in the NFC with 42.0 sacks. Chicago bolstered its defense by acquiring 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack on Sept. 1 and also used its first-round pick (No. 8 overall) in this year's draft to select linebacker Roquan Smith of Georgia.