Bears general manager Ryan Pace has been emphatic about building the foundation of the roster through the draft. Granted, one season is a small sample size, but he appears to have found a cornerstone piece in defensive lineman Eddie Goldman.
Years ago, a 3-4 defense was only as good as its nose tackle. Players like Ted Washington, Jamal Williams and Casey Hampton anchored the interior, as defenses built from the middle out. The thinking was easy to follow: put your biggest defensive lineman on the opponent’s smallest offensive lineman (typically the center), force the guard to help out, and in turn, create single-block opportunities down the line of scrimmage.