Gervon Dexter trade grades for Bears, Falcons

The Chicago Bears have flirted with the idea of trading Gervon Dexter throughout the 2026 NFL offseason. Dexter’s name has come up multiple times in trade talks over the past few months. However, those rumors heated up in recent days as NFL teams prepare to make final roster cuts before the regular season. Now the young defensive lineman finally has a new home.

The Falcons acquired Dexter in a trade with the Bears on Sunday morning. Atlanta will send cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Chicago in exchange for Dexter, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Dexter did not participate in joint practices with the Titans, and did not play in the Bears’ preseason finale, because of trade talks. Now the young defensive tackle with 115 total tackles and 13.5 sacks joins a Falcons defense that could use another playmaker.

Which team came out on top in the Dexter trade? Or was it a win-win trade for both teams?

Here are trade grades for each team after this huge transaction.

Chicago gets some solid value in return for Gervon Dexter

There are a few reasons why this trade is good for both Dexter and the Bears.

Dexter is in the final year of his rookie contract and only carries a $2.14 million cap hit in 2026. The 25-year-old defensive tackle is right to want a lucrative contract extension, especially after the impressive start of his NFL career. Now Dexter can pursue a new contract with Atlanta, or play in a contract season and then walk during free agency.

While Dexter was quite productive in Chicago, he may not be a fit in their new defensive scheme. So now was the right time to move on from the ascending defensive star.

Meanwhile, the Bears should be thrilled to patch up their defensive secondary by adding Phillips. The 24-year-old cornerback has experience playing in the slot and on the outside. He should immediately compete for a consistent role in Chicago’s secondary due to the team already being down a few players.

Coby Bryant’s concerning knee injury put the Bears at a disadvantage in the early stages of training camp. Chicago is also without Kyler Gordon for an unknown amount of time after suffering a calf injury earlier this month.

Chicago seems to like rookie DT Jordan van den Berg, a player who could immediately assume Dexter’s role on the defensive line. His presence likely made it easier for Chicago to decide to trade Dexter and add reinforcements in their secondary.

Ultimately, this is a good process move by GM Ryan Poles. Chicago gets the maximum value out of Dexter during his rookie contract, plus assets that could be useful in the future.

Grade: B+

Atlanta reloads their defensive interior by adding Gervon Dexter before regular season

The interior of the defensive line was not Atlanta’s biggest roster need on paper. But the Falcons were smart to acquire a talented player like Dexter at such a discounted rate.

Before the trade, the Falcons had Da’Shawn Hand, Brandon Dorlus, and Zach Harrison as projected starters on the defensive interior. Now Dexter slides in as the presumed starter at nose tackle, suddenly making Hand into a depth piece.

The Falcons deserve credit for making smart moves to upgrade their defensive front before the regular season. That has become a weak spot for the team as Atlanta prepares to enter Week 1 down multiple defensive starters.

James Pearce Jr. will miss the first eight games of the season following his domestic violence dispute with WNBA star Rickea Jackson. Jalon Walker also suffered a season-ending ACL injury in early August, dealing another crushing blow to Atlanta’s defense.

The Dexter addition does not solve Atlanta’s problems on the edges early in the season. But once those players return, the Falcons will suddenly have a talented defensive line to complement their secondary.

This trade was perfect for the Falcons because it is great for both now and later.

Atlanta has plenty of cap space in future seasons with $107.2 million available to spend during the 2027 offseason. So if Dexter wants to stay in Atlanta for a long time, the Falcons can afford to make that happen.

This is a great transaction to start the Kevin Stefanski era in Atlanta.

Grade: A

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