Arguably the most pleasant surprise of the Atlanta Falcons offseason was the return of defensive lineman Eddie Goldman.
The Falcons removed Goldman from the reserve/retired list last week just eight months after he decided he didn't want to play with Atlanta two weeks following the signing of his contract.
But, that was then and this is now. Goldman is back with the Falcons on a one-year deal and Atlanta is happy to have him.
“With Eddie, we are excited,” Smith said. “Eddie is a guy that we had some familiarity with. Talking to Eddie last summer, he signed his contract and then decided that he didn’t want to play. So, we put him (on) the reserve/retired list.”
Goldman spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Chicago Bears after being selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. A former top recruit out of Florida State, Goldman has recorded 175 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 21 quarterback hits, 13 sacks and two fumble recoveries in 81 games.
Now, he's looking to add on to those numbers with the Falcons.
“His agent called and said he wants to come back,” Smith said. “We had a discussion with Eddie, and we decided to bring him up (to the roster). He was under contract, and we were excited about the opportunity.”
With Goldman back, the Falcons defensive line looks a lot more promising. The team is bringing back Grady Jarrett and signing veterans David Onyemata and Calais Campbell to improve what has been one of the worst defensive lines in the league past few years. But the Falcons hope to turn that around, with Goldman's help, in 2023.
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