When the Chicago Bears traded Gervon Dexter to the Atlanta Falcons on August 30, it was a talent subtraction from a defensive line that lacked enough of it. It was also a savvy move by general manager Ryan Poles, to avoid having to pay someone who seemed set for a contract year surge.
If Dexter were to have a big 2026 campaign and compel the Falcons to pay him, that would be their problem. He is off to a nice start on that front, based on analytics more than raw sack numbers. Apparently the Falcons and former Bears' assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, who is now the Falcons' GM, have seen enough.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Falcons and Dexter have agreed to a four-year, $78 million contract extension, including $46.5 million guaranteed. The $19.5 million annual average would put Dexter just outside the top-20 highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL.
While that seems reasonable, it's also fair to say Dexter wouldn't be similarly ranked among his positional peers in any other way right now.
Gervon Dexter situation is working out nicely for all involved
At least for now, it can be questioned if the Bears got enough from the Falcons for Dexter. Maybe hindsight will lead to it always being questioned, if he has a big season this year and can sustain that level of play into his nice new contract.
What is absolutely not a question is this. The Bears were never going to pay Dexter $19.5 million per year, let alone give him a four-year extension, based on what they'd seen in his first three seasons. Maybe he would've changed that equation this season, but the specter of a "contract drive" would've surely been on everyone's minds at Halas Hall.
With that in mind, Poles sent Dexter to his former assistant in Atlanta and got something for him. More than the trade return, however, it looks now, or in eventual hindsight, that the offloaded a potential headache for the 2027 offseason when it came to deciding whether to pay Dexter or not.
It's also safe to say Poles can claim a victory based on how the Bears' defensive line is doing so far this season.
Time will tell if the Falcons were right to pay Dexter a month, literally to the day, after acquiring him. Maybe their defensive scheme and coaching are what he needs to find a level of consistency and high-end production that he never found with the Bears.
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The Bears seem to be better off without him. Dexter has seemingly found a better fit for his skills, and he already had the contract; he had a chance to set himself up for this season. Sometimes things work out ideally for both sides, and so far, the Bears' parting with Dexter is in that category.
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