When the Falcons and defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. agreed to a new contract, it ended one of the more unusual stretches of an NFL season so far. In about a month, Dexter went from a Bears player without a deal to one of Atlanta’s highest-paid defenders.
The deal
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Dexter is signing a four-year, $78 million extension with $46.5 million guaranteed. At $19.5 million per year, he’d be just outside the top 20 highest-paid defensive tackles in the league. That average is higher than what Green Bay’s Devonte Wyatt makes.
The trade that set it up
Dexter was drafted by Chicago in the second round in 2023, at 53rd overall. Going into this season, he was in the final year of his rookie contract, and the Bears had a decision to make. Early in the offseason, there were rumblings that he wanted a significant raise before the regular season, but nothing came together.
Chicago instead traded him to Atlanta for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Atlanta made the trade on August 30, and the extension came about a month later.
Why Atlanta was the right fit
The Falcons had inside knowledge. Atlanta GM Ian Cunningham, a former Bears assistant GM, helped draft Dexter in Chicago, traded for him, and has now extended him. Dexter has acknowledged that connection, saying Cunningham played a big part in drafting him.
Dexter’s profile also rewards a team that values pass rushing. His pass-rush grade of 84.3 ranked fourth among 106 interior defensive linemen, well ahead of his run-defense grade of 59.5, which ranked 54th. His sack total rose every season he spent in Chicago. He had six sacks in 2025, the second-highest total on the Bears defense.
Did the Bears blow it?
Opinion in Chicago is split.
The critical view is that the Bears sold low. Some pointed to the $78 million contract and an 18 percent pressure rate in Atlanta as evidence the decision is looking worse by the week.
The defenders argue the price was always too high for Chicago. They say the Bears were never going to pay $19.5 million per year, or commit four years, based on his first three seasons. Others noted that with a deal for quarterback Caleb Williams likely coming, giving Dexter that kind of money was unrealistic. The concerns about Dexter’s run defense were real too. Before the season, analysts called his inconsistency there a key risk of an early extension.
Reasonable projections beforehand put the price in the same range. One estimate put the high end at four years and $86 million, averaging $21.5 million. The final number came in below that.
The bottom line
Both sides can reasonably call this a win. Dexter got a large guaranteed payday, Atlanta locked in a young pass rusher while his price was still manageable, and Chicago avoided a big commitment to a player whose run defense was still a question mark. Whether the Bears gave up a future star for a backup corner and a Day 3 pick will depend on how Dexter develops over the deal’s four years.
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