The Chicago Bears never looked all that eager to make Gervon Dexter part of their long-term plans, and their trade return said plenty about where things stood. Rather than pay the defensive tackle, the Bears moved him for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round pick, a deal that felt more like clearing the books and closing the door than anything else.
Now Dexter is off to a strong start elsewhere, and that alone is enough to make some Bears fans wonder what might have been. He’s also in line for a major payday, which only adds to the sting for anyone looking back at Chicago’s decision.
But the Bears’ defense has kept humming without him. Dennis Allen’s unit currently sits 10th in EPA/play at -0-04, seventh in points allowed at 17.7 per game, second in third-down conversion rate allowed at 29.0 percent, and ninth in sack percentage at 7.7 percent.
Dexter, meanwhile, is putting together a breakout season with Kevin Stefanski’s team. Pro Football Focus has him leading all defensive tackles with a 23.3 percent pass rush win rate.
Even so, that production may not hold up at the same level, and the Bears were never likely to match the kind of contract he landed in Atlanta. The Falcons gave him a four-year, $46.5 million extension, a number Chicago was not going to reach.
That’s the reality of it sometimes: a player and a team split, and both sides move on. A hot start somewhere else doesn’t automatically mean the same thing would have happened if he had stayed put.
What’s more, the Bears’ defense has outperformed expectations overall. The group looks like it’s functioning as a whole, and that might be the biggest reason Dexter’s departure hasn’t blown a hole in the unit.
Chicago is also getting more from Grady Jarrett, and rookie Jordan van den Berg is looking like the future at left tackle. With the financial picture tight, the Bears didn’t have much room to keep Jarrett at the price he wanted and still preserve flexibility for the moves ahead.
In Other News...
Roschon Johnson Is Giving The Bears A Role Few Fans Expected
Roschon Johnson has quietly become one of the more interesting early-season pieces for the Bears, even if most of his work has come far from the spotlight. Through the opening stretch of 2026, he has been on the field for 61% of Chicagos special teams plays while seeing only a small slice of offensive action, a usage pattern that stands out for a player many expected to factor more prominently on offense.
For a back whose availability has been affected by injury issues in the past, the special teams emphasis gives the Bears a different kind of value from Johnson than fans may have anticipated. The exact tackle count is a little murky, with different outlets crediting him differently, but the broader point is clear: Chicago has leaned on him in a phase of the game where effort, trust and consistency matter, and that role may say as much about his present as it does about what the Bears think he can still become. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Get A Big Week 4 Break Against The Jets
The Bears are getting a meaningful lift ahead of their Week 4 matchup in New York, with Jets coach Aaron Glenn confirming that running back Breece Hall will not play because of a quadriceps injury. Hall has been ruled out and is considered week-to-week after not practicing since leaving early in the previous game, a development that changes the feel of a Jets offense Chicago was preparing to face.
Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis are expected to shoulder the backfield work in Halls absence, which adds another layer of uncertainty to a meeting that already carries plenty of importance for the Bears. For Chicago, any break in an opposing game plan matters, especially when it arrives this early in the season and forces a defense to adjust to a different set of personnel and responsibilities. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Offense Heads Into Jets Game With One Huge Question
The Bears offense heads into its Week 4 trip to face the Jets still sorting through a lot more than just the usual injury concerns. Chicagos final report for the 2026 season lists five players out and one doubtful, and the biggest absence is Caleb Williams, who is expected to miss multiple games because of a hamstring injury. Kyler Gordon is also ruled out, leaving the roster thinner at a time when the Bears are trying to steady themselves on the road.
Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent remain the two quarterbacks under consideration for the start, and the uncertainty has put the offense in a holding pattern as game day approaches. With Williams unavailable and the depth chart still unsettled, Chicago is left weighing experience against familiarity while preparing for a Jets defense that will know the Bears are short on time to settle the question. [Read more 🡒]