The Chicago Bears may have different plans for Gervon Dexter Sr. than anyone expected.
“Sources: The #Bears have had trade discussions involving DT Gervon Dexter, and there are multiple scenarios where a deal could get done sending him to a new team,” The Schultz Report’s Jordan Schultz reported on X on August 25.
“Dexter, still just 24 years old, started all 17 games last season and has 13.5 career sacks and 42 QB hits. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract.”
Dexter, who turns 25 in October, is in the final year of his rookie contract.
Insider: Bears Have Discussed Gervon Dexter Sr. Trade
Gervon Dexter Sr. Trade Rumor Surfaces Around Bears After Practice Exit
Schultz’s report comes on the heels of Dexter exiting Bears training camp practice early on Tuesday, per The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs.
Dexter was a second-round pick, taken 53rd overall in the 2023 draft. He has increased his production every year since his rookie season, but he continues to seek the level of consistency the Bears want and know he can attain.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson notably lauded Dexter’s durability before practice.
Johnson also made it quite clear that the ceiling is certainly there for Dexter, because the Bears have seen it. But they want to see it more often.
“He’s a big guy, and he does a great job taking care of his body and being available. I don’t think he’s missed the 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,” Johnson told reporters on Tuesday.
“When he does it, it’s a beautiful thing, because he is … 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, a 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.”
Johnson noted his belief that their interior defensive line is better than it is given credit for.
Bears Rookie Gets More Work With Starters
The Bears had rookie sixth-round pick Jordan van den Berg next to Grady Jarrett with the first-team defense plenty on Tuesday, as did veteran Kentavius Street.
This could all be smoke in hopes of lighting a fire under Dexter. However, the Bears have also clearly not gotten what they hoped for and want to see more. The flipside is that options like van den Berg have impressed enough to force the Bears to explore their options.
That is especially true if the Bears were already on the fence about Dexter’s future.
Johnson called van den Berg a beast and lauded everything from his approach to his performance. So the future may already be here for the Bears.
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