Updated look at Bears interior defensive line depth following Eddie Goldman’s release
It’s been a busy couple of days for the Chicago Bears, where general manager Ryan Poles has made some tough but necessary decisions on the roster.
The Bears traded pass rusher Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers for a 2022 second-round pick, a 2023 sixth-round selection and taking on the remainder of his contract. They followed that up with the release of running back Tarik Cohen, who’s yet to pass a physical. But they didn’t stop there.
Chicago is releasing defensive tackle Eddie Goldman, who was slated to have a $11.8 million salary cap hit in 2022. It’s a move that wasn’t a surprise given his cap hit and the switch to a 4-3 scheme.
But where does that leave the Bears with the interior defensive line? Not only is Goldman gone, but Akiem Hicks and Bilal Nichols are headed to free agency.
With Goldman moving on, here is how the interior defensive line depth chart is shaking out prior to free agency officially getting underway:
Khyiris Tonga
Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports
Where things currently stand, Khyiris Tonga is among the top of the defensive line depth chart right now. Tonga, a seventh-round pick in 2021, is coming off an encouraging rookie season, where he saw significant time in place of an injured Goldman and held his own. Tonga showed he can be a powerful run stopper in the middle of the defensive line, and his potential moving forward is exciting.
Angelo Blackson
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
Angelo Blackson was signed last offseason to serve as depth along the interior of the defensive line, but he found himself thrust into more of a starting role due to injuries to Akiem Hicks. Blackson was solid all season and saw a spike in production near the end of the season. He’s a reliable rotational player who could certainly factor into the plans for 2022. While Blackson is certainly a cap casualty candidate, it’s hard to imagine Poles pulling the trigger with the lack of depth along the interior.
LaCale London
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
LaCale London spent the majority of the 2021 season on the practice squad. He appeared in just one game last season — a Week 15 contest against the Vikings when Chicago was ravaged by COVID-19. At this point, London is nothing more than a practice squad player who doesn’t appear poised to contribute in 2022.
Auzoyah Alufohai
AP Photo/Matt Patterson
Auzoyah Alufohai split his 2021 season on the Bears and Packers practice squads. He signed with Chicago on Sept. 1 and was released shortly after. Then in November, he joined Green Bay’s practice squad for a couple of weeks before being released on Nov. 16. He rejoined the Bears practice squad on Dec. 16 before signing a reserve/futures contract with Chicago on Jan. 11. Alufohai is nothing more than a practice squad player who doesn’t appear likely to factor into Chicago’s plans.
Positional need: High
AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski
It’s fair to assume the Bears don’t have their two starting defensive tackles currently on the roster. Blackson and Tonga could serve as starters, but they’re most likely rotational players at this point. With Nichols and Hicks hitting free agency and Goldman’s release, there’s a clear need along the interior of the defensive line. The Bears might re-sign Nichols and they could turn to free agency or the NFL draft to fill those starting spots.
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