Veteran DT Eddie Goldman signs one-year deal with Falcons

Washington, D.C., native Eddie Goldman has a new NFL home. The veteran defensive tackle signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday, the team announced.

Goldman spent the first seven seasons of his NFL career with the Chicago Bears.

The 28-year old Goldman became a five-star recruit during a high school career at Friendship Collegiate Academy in D.C. That led to a solid career at Florida State before being a second-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 2015.

Goldman appeared in 81 games with the Bears, including 73 starts. He opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He registered 13.0 sacks in his time in Chicago.

Goldman landed a four-year, $42 million extension in 2018. However, the Bears released him in March.

Last season, he missed the first three games due to a knee injury but played in the final 14 games. He had 22 tackles and 0.5 sacks in 337 defensive snaps. He also had four pressures and three QB hurries.

In Atlanta, he’ll compete to be part of the Falcons’ defensive tackle rotation led by Grady Jarrett. Interestingly, Goldman is the sixth former Bears player signed this offseason by the Falcons.