Bears Free of Health Issues Heading into 2021

About the only actual facts to come out of the Bears pre-free agency press conference pertained to two defensive players—Khalil Mack and Jaylon Johnson.

GM Ryan Pace confirmed neither required surgery for injuries they had at the end of last season.

"So it's just a matter of strengthening and getting ready to roll when we start back up," Bears GM Ryan Pace.

Johnson had a shoulder injury and sat out the final three regular-season game as well as the playoff loss to New Orleans. Mack missed no time and played through a shoulder injury throughout the second half of the season.

With Johnson, the issue was more serious since he'd undergone surgery on both shoulders in the past prior to entering the NFL.

The only other injury-related news the Bears updated was on nose tackle Eddie Goldman. 

Goldman missed all of last season as a COVID-19 opt-out. Last month new defensive coordinator Sean Desai said he hadn't heard whether Goldman was returning.

Pace at least confirmed the team had talked with Goldman. His return to action had been largely assumed but never really acknowledged.

"We communicated with Eddie on a regular basis," Pace said. "We did that during the season as well. Obviously we really missed him this year. Excited to get him back in the mix.

"(Chris) Rumph, our new defensive line coach, has communicated with him as well. So that's all been part of it and obviously he's a big piece of what we're doing. So we're excited about that."

There will be some players coming off surgeries who will be closely watched at training camp. Running back Tarik Cohen suffered a torn ACL in late September last season, while guard James Daniels went out with a torn pectoral muscle.

Defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris suffered a season-ending shoulder injury requiring surgery and he is an unrestricted free agent, so his return is uncertain at best

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven