On the day when NFL rosters need to be down to 53 players, it was the Chicago Bears who started with fireworks.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported the Bears traded defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Clark Phillips III and a fifth-round pick. This was a win-win deal for the Bears, as they avoid paying Dexter a lot of money on his next contract and gain some cornerback depth.
This trade has clear winners and losers for the Bears, which makes it interesting. Here's a look at who won and who lost.
Winners and losers from the Bears' massive trade involving Gervon Dexter Sr.
Winner: Jordan van den Berg, DT
There is no bigger winner of this trade than van den Berg, who has had a spectacular training camp and preseason as a rookie. The Bears are going to be calling upon him to step up and maybe even be a starter from Day 1. He showed how powerful he can be on the line in the preseason, so the hope is that he can live up to expectations.
Loser: Terell Smith, CB
Smith was already on the chopping block, but his great performance in the preseason win over the Tennessee Titans might have been able to help him make the 53-man roster. With Phillips in the deal, that could jeopardize his chances of making the team. What happens after this could be interesting for Smith.
Winner: Grady Jarrett, DT
This was honestly a good thing for Jarrett despite being on the hot seat entering Year 2. Chicago is showing confidence that he can bounce back from a rough first season. If Jarrett doesn't end up stepping up in 2026, though, then he could be a big loser in the 2027 offseason, but for now, he has a good chance of proving his worth.
Loser: Dennis Allen, defensive coordinator
The hope is that new guys like van den Berg and James Lynch can step up, but this is still a big blow for Allen's defense. With the pass rush already being a major problem for the team, Allen loses the second-leading sack artist with six. He has to hope someone on the team, like Austin Booker or Dayo Odeyingbo, can make up for what they'll miss.
Winner: James Lynch, DT
Lynch is in kind of the same territory as van den Berg as to why he is a winner in all of this. He's had a great preseason, and that suggests the Bears might have him in the rotation. Really, any of the defensive tackles could be seen as winners since it opens up a spot on the line.
Read more: 6 winners (and 1 loser) from Bears' impressive preseason finale win
Winner: Ryan Poles, General Manager
Poles must be relieved that he doesn't have to give Dexter at least $25 million per year to help out. Van den Berg's emergence might have saved Poles the time, the money, and the headache that would have come with that. Now the general manager can focus on bringing in an elite pass rusher, right? Right?
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