The Commanders’ loss of Johnny Newton has opened a door, and Gervon Dexter Sr. is the name suddenly sitting in it.
Washington is going to be without the third-year defensive lineman for most of the season after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle, a major setback for a player head coach Dan Quinn was counting on to take a step forward after being drafted in the second round in 2024. That leaves the Commanders with a hole to patch, and there’s already trade chatter around a player who fits the profile.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Chicago Bears have had trade discussions involving Dexter, with multiple teams said to be interested. It’s not clear whether Washington is among them, but the fit is obvious enough that the Commanders should at least check in.
Dexter is 24, in the final year of his rookie contract, and has already built a solid résumé. Schultz reported that he started all 17 games last season and has 13.5 career sacks and 42 QB hits. The Bears made him a second-round pick in 2023, and after a slower rookie introduction, he has turned into a more disruptive force over the last two seasons, with 11 sacks in that stretch.
At 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds, Dexter brings the kind of size and burst that can make life miserable for blockers. He can collapse the pocket with power, and he has enough closing speed to get a quarterback moving.
Run defense remains the concern, but the Commanders may still see him as the cleanest answer to Newton’s injury. He looks like the sort of plug-and-play interior piece Washington needs right now.
There’s also a broader angle here. The Commanders have Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, and Tim Settle Jr. as the established starters on Daronte Jones’ new 3-4 front, but the long-term picture is less settled.
Payne is out of contract next year and may not return. Kinlaw could be a cut candidate if his play doesn’t improve.
Newton’s injury adds another layer of uncertainty after a rough run in Washington.
Settle may be the only one with real staying power beyond the immediate future, which is why Dexter makes sense as more than a short-term fix. If he can handle more responsibility and grow into a true three-down player, he’d be a strong candidate for a new deal.
Adam Peters has stepped away from making trades this offseason, and that approach makes sense for a team trying to build properly. Still, Dexter is only 24, and if the Bears’ asking price is manageable, Washington would be looking at a player with the tools to step in right away and help cover for Newton’s absence.
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