Part 8 of a 10-part series previewing the NFL Draft and analyzing the Bears’ needs.
Eddie Goldman’s return after opting out of the 2020 season because of concerns about the coronavirus figures to be an automatic boost for a Bears defensive line that definitely missed the Pro Bowl alternate nose tackle. But the uncertain status of defensive end Akiem Hicks threatened to cancel out that upgrade.
Hicks was a potential casualty that general manager Ryan Pace faced in the offseason after the NFL’s salary cap dropped from $198.2 million to $182.5 million — instead of rising into the $210 million range as anticipated — because of revenue losses during the coronavirus season.