The Chicago Bears have made a significant move before the roster cutdown deadline, trading former second-round pick defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. to the Atlanta Falcons. Dexter lands back with former Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, now the general manager in Atlanta. In return, Chicago receives cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round pick for the young defensive tackle.

The trade had been hinted at for a while. Dexter sat out the last couple of practices with what was reported to be a hamstring injury, an absence that began Tuesday. That timeline lines up with the initial report about the Bears potentially shopping Dexter, making the connection hard to ignore.

Gervon Dexter was a productive player, but the fit wasn’t fit in Chicago

Dexter has been a productive player during his time in Chicago. Still only 24-years-old, he racked up 11 sacks over the last two seasons, including a career-high in 2025 under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. However, despite the production, he was not the right fit for what Allen wanted out of his interior defensive linemen.

The get-off simply was not there for Dexter to start in Allen’s scheme. The coaching staff worked throughout the offseason to develop that trait with better coaching, but they still were not pleased with the progress he was making.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson added that the interior defensive line spot was underrated heading into the season, pointing to the veteran free agents the team added and two young players who stepped up throughout training camp and the preseason, a signal that a move was on the horizon.

What happens next on the Bears’ interior defensive line?

With Dexter gone, the Bears still have veteran Grady Jarrett under contract through 2027 as one starter. Sixth-round pick Jordan van den Berg now has an opportunity to earn a starting role by Week 1. The question becomes whether van den Berg gets that nod or if the Bears lean on a more veteran option like Neville Gallimore or Kentavius Street.

The trade also opens up a potential roster spot heading into cutdowns. Veteran James Lynch and undrafted free agent rookie Jayden Loving both looked strong this preseason, and one of them now has a real chance to make the 53-man roster. We’ll see which one actually makes the cut by the 6:00 p.m. ET deadline.

Why this move actually isn’t a net negative for the Bears like many would think

Phillips is a player worth getting excited about. He’s only started seven games in three seasons, but the former fourth-round pick can be an aggressive nickel with a bulldog mindset in the right scheme, although he was better on the outside in Atlanta. The Bears needed depth with Kyler Gordon still sidelined. And adding a cornerback of that style could allow rookie Malik Muhammad II to move back outside to his natural position.

The Bears needed cornerback help in some capacity, particularly as a depth piece. Getting Phillips back along with a future fifth-round pick represents solid value in my eyes.

The return might not look like a lot for a former second-round pick on the surface, but context matters. Dexter was in the final year of his rookie contract and likely would have walked at the end of the 2026 season regardless, or honestly been cut. At least the Bears got something for him rather than losing him for nothing. If Phillips can develop into a contributor for this defense, the deal will look even better over time.

Grade: B