Ten days after placing him on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Bears activated nose tackle Eddie Goldman on Friday.
Goldman was one of four players — including linebacker Christian Jones, tackle Elijah Wilkinson and snapper Patrick Scales — put on the reserve list Aug. 3.
The timelines of their return suggest all four were unvaccinated. Unvaccinated players who test positive must isolate for 10 days — exactly like Goldman did — and can only return once they are no longer symptomatic.
NFL rules state unvaccinated players must isolate for five days if they were determined to be close contacts of an infected person. Wilkinson and Jones said they were close contacts. The two, along with Scales, were activated Aug. 9.
All four players were told they were being put on the list while on the bus heading to “Family Fest.”
It’s unclear whether Goldman will play in Saturday’s exhibition opener. Coach Matt Nagy said his starters will play eight-to-10 snaps against the Dolphins, but Goldman’s lack of practice for almost two weeks seems likely to leave him on the bench.
Goldman, who sat out last season because of coronavirus concerns, hasn’t played in a game setting since the end of the 2019 season.
The Bears also waived receiver Thomas Ives, who attended Hinsdale Central. Ives had been on the practice squad the last two years.
