The Chicago Bears have found themselves with a surplus of talent at defensive tackle, a position few expected to be this deep just a couple months ago.

Multiple defensive tackles have stood out throughout training camp and the first two preseason games, to the point where head coach Ben Johnson has called it one of the most underrated positions on the roster.

“I think our interior defensive line’s better than probably (what) the outside world gives them credit for,” Johnson said Tuesday. “I know some guys might be rookies, they might be free agents that people don’t know about as much, but the way they’ve gone about their business, I’ve been really impressed with.”

When a position group runs that deep with roster cuts looming, the possibility of a trade enters the picture. That appears to be exactly where the Bears stand heading into the final week of the preseason.

Chicago Bears DT Gervon Dexter’s trade interest is starting to heat back up

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported during Tuesday’s practice that the Bears have continued to receive calls for defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. The report restarts a conversation that began back during the NFL Scouting Combine, when teams first started calling Chicago about the former second-round pick out of Florida.

With defensive tackles Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, James Lynch, and most importantly rookie Jordan van den Berg standing out, Dexter does seem like a potential trade piece despite being one of the starters on this defense.

“He’s a big buy, he does a great job being available,” Johnson said of Dexter on Tuesday. “I don’t think he’s missed a game in his career yet. He’s done a great job. And yet we’ve challenged him to do some technique things a little bit different this year. When he does it, it’s a beautiful thing, because he is a strong, he is a big man and he’s willing to run guys down sideline to sideline. I think that’s what’s awesome. The consistency level is what we’re still trying to get on a day-in, day-out, play-in, play-out perspective. But when he does it right, does it the way that we’re looking for, it’s a pretty thing.”

Dexter is still just 24-years-old and has been a reliable starter for Chicago over the last two seasons. However, he’s entering the final year of his contract and recently changed agents, a move that signals he could be on a different team in 202 . The Bears could try to expedite that process, move him now, and get something in return rather than risk losing him for nothing next offseason.

A Gervon Dexter trade would open the runway for Jordan van den Berg

If Chicago does pull the trigger on a deal, veteran Grady Jarrett would need a new running mate up-front. Gallimore, as a veteran, could be an early option. But, such a trade would open up the runway for van den Berg, who could claim a starting role as a rookie.

Johnson had plenty of good things to say about the sixth-round ahead of Tuesday’s practice, further reinforcing the idea that the Bears feel comfortable with their depth even without Dexter in the fold.

“He’s a beast,” Johnson said of van den Berg. “This guy, he’s an incredible athlete. He’s still learning the game of football to a degree, and yet it’s amazing what he brings to the table. He’s been the same guy every single day. Smile on his face. He loves football. He loves the process.”

One caveat worth watching

It is worth noting that Dexter left practice early on Tuesday with trainers, and a potential injury could hold up the process on any trade. That adds another layer to an already fluid situation as the Bears approach roster cutdown day.

Regardless, Dexter’s name is one to watch throughout the week ahead. A trade could open up a significant opportunity for van den Berg and reshape the interior of Chicago’s defensive line heading into the regular season.