The Atlanta Falcons didn’t need long to know they had something real in Gervon Dexter.
After only three games, they moved to lock up the defensive tackle on a four-year, $78 million extension, a clear sign they saw him as a long-term piece. And considering what it cost to get him from the Chicago Bears - Clark Phillips III and a fifth-round pick - the deal is already looking like a steal.
Dexter has changed the look of Atlanta’s defense in a hurry. With Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. out, he’s become the Falcons’ top pass-rusher, piling up 14 pressures in 2026 and 12 over the last two weeks alone. The Florida product is now signed through 2031 and sits as the 21st-highest paid defensive tackle in the league.
The return Chicago got only makes the trade look worse. Phillips was on the roster bubble and likely wasn’t going to make the team, and he’s played just 14 total snaps for the Bears this season, with none coming on defense.
At this point, he’s mostly a depth corner and special teamer. Dexter, meanwhile, is giving Atlanta far more than a fifth-round pick should ever return.
The numbers back up the eye test, too. Entering Week 4, Dexter’s 14 pressures were tied for seventh among all defensive players and tied for second among interior defensive linemen, behind only Zach Allen and alongside Deone Walker.
He also leads all defensive linemen with a 23.3 pass-rush win rate, better than Aaron Donald’s 21.4 percent. His 20.5% QB pressure rate ranks eighth in the NFL.
That production showed up in a big way against the Packers, when Dexter got into the backfield untouched on fourth-and-short and helped force Jordan Love into an errant throw across his body, leading to a turnover on downs in the red zone.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS
Falcons get the ball back inside their own 10
(via: @NFL) pic.twitter.com/dRlwOmLDOo
- B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 25, 2026
He’s been a force next to Brandon Dorlus, and Atlanta’s new front office deserves credit for seeing the fit immediately. Chicago traded him because he didn’t match what Dennis Allen wanted from the position, since Allen prefers smaller defensive linemen. Cunningham and the Falcons wanted bigger, explosive players, and Nate Ollie has helped unlock a version of Dexter that hadn’t shown up before.
It’s a hard trade to explain from Chicago’s side and an easy one to love from Atlanta’s. The Falcons turned a player on the fringe and a Day 3 pick into one of the most important defenders on the roster, and they didn’t even need a full season to know they wanted him around for the long haul.
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Falcons Face Another Saints Threat That Could Decide Monday Night
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Chris Olave will draw attention, but Juwan Johnson has emerged as a particularly important piece in recent games and could become the kind of chain-moving threat that tilts the matchup. Atlanta has linebackers with coverage ability, and how well they handle Johnson in the middle of the field may go a long way toward deciding whether the Falcons can keep this one in the kind of defensive game they prefer. [Read more 🡒]