The Bears are still getting calls about Gervon Dexter Sr. as Tuesday’s practice unfolded, a sign that interest in the 24-year-old defensive tackle has not eased even with the season nearing. Jordan Schultz reported that teams continue to inquire about Dexter while Chicago works through the final week of the preseason.
That timing matters because Dexter is not just another body on the roster. He has been a reliable starter for Chicago over the last two seasons, he is entering the final year of his contract and the Bears have already heard from teams about him since the NFL Scouting Combine. A move now would let Chicago collect something back instead of risking a clean walk next offseason, which is why the calls keep coming and why the decision still hangs over the room today.
Ben Johnson, though, gave little hint that Chicago is in any hurry to move on. He said on Tuesday that the interior defensive line is better than the outside world gives it credit for, then singled out Dexter as “a big buy” who “does a great job being available.” Johnson added that Dexter has not missed a game in his career and said the Bears have asked him to do some technique things differently this year, a reminder that Chicago still sees room for growth in a player it also sees as dependable.
That is the friction inside this story. The Bears have depth at defensive tackle, and Johnson’s comments suggested confidence in the group even beyond the players most fans know. He said he has been impressed with the way the room has gone about its business, and he pointed to Jordan van den Berg as a player who has brought energy every day. If Dexter were dealt, Grady Jarrett would need a new running mate up front, Neville Gallimore could be an early option and van den Berg could open the door to a starting role.
Dexter’s own practice exit added another layer of uncertainty. He left early on Tuesday with trainers, though there was no immediate indication that the exit was tied to an injury. That matters because the trade picture already exists around a 24-year-old starter in his contract year; any health issue, even an unconfirmed one, would only sharpen the Bears’ calculation between keeping a proven starter and taking whatever return they can find before the season pressure gets heavier.
For now, the situation points to a roster decision that is still very much alive. The Bears can keep Dexter and lean on their interior depth, or they can use the market that has followed him since the Combine to turn a contract-year starter into value before that value starts to vanish.
