When the Chicago Bears traded Gervon Dexter Sr. on cut day, I saw that as a sign that the front office knew they wouldn’t give him a huge extension to keep him in the Windy City. Now, almost a month after being traded to the Atlanta Falcons, Dexter finds himself the beneficiary of a big contract from the team that acquired him from Chicago.
All’s well that ends well, I guess.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has more:
A quick look at Gervon Dexter Sr.’s stats since joining the Falcons:
- 3 games
- 0.5 bags
- 7 total tackles
- 0 tackles for loss
- 3 quarterback hits
BEARS GM RYAN POLES REFLECTS ON GERVON DEXTER TRADE
PFF has Dexter as the 11th highest-rated interior defensive lineman after three games. His 77.7 rating is tied with Rams star Aaron Donald. As one might expect as a Bears fan familiar with Dexter’s game, the pass rush rating (84.3, 4th out of 106 interior DLs) exceeds the run defense rating (59.5, 54th/130).
The Bears used a second-round pick (53rd overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft to select Gervon Dexter Sr., a talented defensive lineman who doesn’t turn 25 until next Monday. So, in a way, this expansion is a nice early birthday present. Oh, if only we were all so athletically gifted to get some extra life-changing money. But I digress.
MORE: Gervon Dexter Sr. says goodbye to Chicago and Bears fans
Dexter has been a solid player in his three years with the Bears, improving each season. Arguably his best season came in 2025, when he posted career highs in sacks (6), tackles for loss (11) and starts (17). His run defense left something to be desired. And his technique could still be perfected. But given his athleticism and upside, I can understand why the Falcons were willing to pay for Dexter before he hit free agency after the 2026 season.
In his absence, the Bears defense has been fine. ESPN ranks Chicago with a 55% winning rate, which is eighth best in the league. Grady Jarrett’s stop win rate ranks fifth among defensive tackles, while his pass win rate is ninth best among players at the position. James Lynch’s run-stop win rate ranks seventh among power players. It would be nice to see rookie Jordan van den Berg play a bigger role, but I’ll be patient on that front.
Former Bears DT Gervon Dexter Sr. gets payday with Falcons
Dexter gets a big chunk of change from the Falcons. His new contract is worth up to $78 million and includes $46.5 million guaranteed. To put these numbers into perspective:
- The total value of the deal ($78 million) puts him tied for 13th with Eagles star Jordan Davis among interior defensive linemen.
- The guaranteed share ($46.5 million) puts him just ahead of Bucs star Vita Vea ($46 million), who signed his own extension over the summer.
Given those numbers and the deal the Bears will likely have to make for quarterback Caleb Williams, it wasn’t realistic to think Chicago would give that kind of money for Dexter. Hey, you can’t pay EVERYONE!
All things considered, I think this is a good deal for Gervon Dexter and the Falcons. This isn’t a bank-breaking contract, so depending on how it’s structured, I don’t expect it to handcuff Atlanta. But it also incentivizes the player to keep driving hard. A strong four-year streak from Dexter could put him in line to get a third contract after his age-29 season.
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