On the same day that the Rams brought 10-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Aaron Donald out of retirement to team with seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Myles Garrett, the Bears traded defensive tackle Gervon Dexter.
That, in a sentence, is why the Rams are the clear-cut favorites to win the NFC and the Bears remain, until they can prove otherwise, the team most likely to try to race their opponent to 35 points. And that’s no way to get to the Super Bowl.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace’s decision to trade his former second-round pick to the Falcons for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round pick was rooted in conviction. Still, the Bears trading a piece from a unit that was one of the worst defensive lines in the NFL last year on the eve of the season is a reminder of how far the Bears are from their “Monsters of the Midway” roots.
After having a slow get-off last year on both run and pass plays, Dexter was working through changes to his stance and pad level that coaches insisted upon this offseason. When he did it right, it was a “beautiful thing,” coach Ben Johnson said last week. The issue was how often it happened.
“The consistency level,” Johnson said, “is what we’re still trying to get on a day-in, day-out, play-in, play-out perspective.”
Dexter, 24, was entering the final season of his rookie contract and sought an extension. The Bears’ unwillingness to invest in him beyond 2026 prompted trade rumors dating back to the spring — and, later, spoke to his place on the team.
Chicago, thank you for everything. 🐻🧡
These last 3 years have meant more to me than I can put into words. Thank you to the Chicago Bears organization for drafting me, believing in me, and welcoming me and my family with open arms. Chicago will always be a special part of my…
— Gervon Dexter SR (@GervonDexter) August 30, 2026
During training camp, he fell behind Grady Jarrett, newly acquired veterans Kentavius Street and Neville Gallimore — and even sixth-round rookie Jordan van den Berg — in the defensive tackle rotation. On passing downs, the Bears planned to replace Dexter’s pass-rush threat by moving end Dayo Odeyingbo inside to tackle. The Bears believe their defensive line depth is underrated. Trading Dexter tests that theory.
The Bears have been thrilled with van den Berg, the South Africa-born Georgia Tech alum. Saturday night, he stood at his locker and was asked if he was impressed how far he’d come in six weeks.
“I just attacked every day with as much passion and energy as I could,” he said.
The athleticism that tested off the charts before the draft shows up on the practice field in explosive, athletic bursts. Still, it’d be folly for the Bears to expect a sixth-round pick to anchor the position. They’ll lean on their rotation.
“He’s a beast,” Johnson said last week. “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.”
The Bears admired Dexter’s availability during his three years. He started all 19 times last year — 17 regular-season games plus two playoff appearances — and has played in 49 of a possible 51 regular-season games during his three-year career.
His inefficiency, though, made that durability less valuable. Playing on one of the worst run defenses in the NFL last year, he finished 107th out of 131 interior defensive linemen against the run, per Pro Football Focus. Dexter admitted that there were times last year when he didn’t understand his stance was poor — and “that could be the reason why some of the other things weren’t working out.”
He was better on passing downs, finishing second on the team with six sacks. New Falcons GM Ian Cunningham had a front-row seat as the Bears’ assistant GM. His familiarity with Dexter hastened a trade that seemed more and more likely, particularly after he left practice Tuesday — and then didn’t travel with the team — for what the Bears claimed was a hamstring issue.
Like Dexter, Phillips is 24 years old and entering the last year of his rookie deal. Unlike Dexter, though, he’s a bench player, having started just seven times and appeared in 21 more games over three seasons. A triceps injury in Week 4 cost him most of last season. He has one interception and 63 tackles on his resume.
Thank you Atlanta ❤️ Forever grateful for my time with the Falcons organization, my teammates, coaches, and the incredible fan base. Thank you for embracing me and supporting me every step of the way. Excited for this next chapter and ready to get to work in Chicago 🐻⬇️
— Clark Phillips lll (@ClarkPhillips21) August 30, 2026
Despite his 5-foot-9, 183-pound frame, Phillips has played mostly outside cornerback. Pro Football Focus gave him their 20th-best coverage grade among all cornerbacks in 2024 — tied with Kyler Gordon.
The Bears figure to cross-train him in the slot, where he’s played only 37 career snaps. That’s where they need help — not outside cornerback.
Gordon’s strange months-long calf injury hovers over the Bears’ defensive back depth chart, as does the knee injury to big-money safety Coby Bryant that will cost him most of the season. Cam Lewis could be the starting safety next to Dillon Thieneman — unless the Bears need him more at slot cornerback. Rookie Malik Muhammad improved in the slot during training camp despite limited exposure to the position in college.
The fifth-round pick the Bears acquired helps to make up for the loss of their own 2027 fifth-rounder, which they sent to the Patriots for center Garrett Bradbury in March.
Sunday’s trade, though, was less about what they added than what they subtracted.
The Rams couldn’t say the same.