Bears Could Trade DT Gervon Dexter

Dexter joined the Bears as a second-round pick in 2023 and took on a rotational role over a 17-game, one-start rookie season. While playing a little over 40% of defensive snaps, the former Florida Gator notched 20 tackles, 12 quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks and two pass deflections.

After coming off the bench almost exclusively in his first year, Dexter started in all 32 appearances from 2024-25. With his defensive snap share climbing over 57% in his second season, Dexter piled up 51 tackles, 19 QB hits, five sacks and four TFLs in 15 games. He impressed Pro Football Focus, which ranked him as the game’s 25th-best qualified interior defensive lineman. It was a big leap from Dexter’s 100th-place finish as a rookie.

The durable Dexter logged his second full season last year, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen‘s first at the helm, and played a career-high 61.98% of snaps. Although Dexter recorded personal bests in sacks and TFL (six apiece), his PFF ranking slid to 72nd as a result of a poorly graded performance against the run. Chicago’s defense struggled as a whole in that department, as just five teams allowed more rushing yards.

Dexter is now in his fourth year and eligible for a contract extension, though it is unknown if any talks have occurred. Considering the Bears have left the door open for a Dexter trade since at least February, a new deal may not be in the cards. However, trading Dexter would not yield significant savings for the Bears, who would free up $1.67MM and take on $472K in dead money. The team currently sits 29th in available cap space ($4.6MM).

In offseason moves to address their interior D-line, the Bears added two veterans – Neville Gallimore (two years $10MM) and Kentavius Street (one year, $1.48MM – as well as rookie sixth-rounder Jordan Van Den Berg. They joined a unit that continues to include Dexter and fellow holdover Grady Jarrett. Dexter called it “one of the better defensive tackle groups I’ve been in” (via Dan Wiederer of The Athletic), but he may not be part of it for much longer.