Bears defensive tackle Eddie Goldman returns from the COVID-19 list

The Bears have activated nose tackle Eddie Goldman from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

The 27-year-old defensive lineman has been out since Aug. 3. Goldman and several teammates were on the bus on their way to the Bears’ family fest at Soldier Field on Aug. 3 when they learned they would be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Goldman, long snapper Patrick Scales, linebacker Christian Jones and offensive tackle Elijah Wilkinson all went on the reserve/COVID-19 list that day. Jones said the Bears sent all four players back to Lake Forest in separate cars as the team took the field for family fest.

Scales, Jones and Wilkinson were activated Aug. 9, while Goldman remained on the reserve list for several more days. Close contacts of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 can return after five days, if they continue to test negative. Vaccinated players do not have to quarantine if they are close contacts.

Goldman had only just returned after opting out of the entire 2020 season. Given that he hasn’t practiced since Aug. 2, it seems unlikely that he would play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. The Bears return to practice on Monday following this weekend’s game.

In a separate move, the Bears announced that wide receiver Thomas Ives has been released. Ives grew up in the Chicago suburbs and played high school football at Hinsdale Central. He spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons on the Bears’ practice squad after going undrafted out of Colgate in 2019.