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Gervon Dexter Obtains High-Powered Agent for Bears Contract Talks

Going into a contract year, the Bears' fourth-year defensive tackle shows he's ready to be serious at the bargaining table.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter has acquired power representation for his second contract.
Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter has acquired power representation for his second contract. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

First, Gervon Dexter's name came up in unfounded rumors about a possible trade.

None of it made much sense because he has been the Bears' most productive defensive tackle in the pass rush, although he obviously can get better against the run.

Now, something more critical for the Bears' future regarding Gervon Dexter has popped up as he approaches his contract year.

Dexter has powerful new representation in agent Drew Rosenhaus, according to Rosenhaus Sports Representation.

The announcement of this immediately caused a negative ripple among Bears fans on social media. The prevailing thought is this could somehow lead to unrealistic demands by the defensive tackle.

The truth is the Bears have negotiated plenty of contracts with Rosenhaus over the years, and this shouldn't be a problem.

DJ Moore was represented by Rosenhaus and got a contract extension. Although he had a very player-friendly deal, it wasn't out of touch with what top receivers around the league commanded when he signed it. Moore's departure was more the result of having more players at his position who were productive or even better last year, as well as the team's salary cap issues.

Rosenhaus also represented former Bears like Akiem Hicks, Yannick Ngakoue, Adrian Colbert, Artie Burns and Rasheem Green.

And two weeks ago, one of Rosenhaus' clients signed with the Bears in free agency—linebacker Devin Bush, who got a three-year deal reported at $30 million.

The issue here is really not Dexter's representation. It's whether the 2023 second-round pick from Florida deserves a contract extension in the team's eyes, and if he can take a step forward in Year 4 to make a statement to the marketplace if he doesn't get the extension.

Dexter's strength has been rushing the passer and he has 13 1/2 sacks in  three seasons, including six last year and five in 2024. He has 42 quarterback hits, but had a career low of 11 last year. He also has 62 pressures, including 22 last season per Pro Football Reference and Stathead.

Pro Football Focus graded Dexter 20th out of 134 interior defensive line pass rushers last year and 40th out of 132 in 2024. As a rookie, he was 59th out of 131.

However, it's stopping the run where Dexter is going to need to prove himself. He ranked 119th out of 131 last year against the run just a year after he made huge strides and climbed to 39th against the run after a rookie year when he was 119th. Overall, Dexter ranked 72nd a year after he'd risen to 24th from 100th as a rookie.

Dexter's six tackles for loss last year were a career high and he has 10. Last season he made 44 tackles, a drop by seven from 2024. At this point, Dexter looks like a possible player to be extended, but they may need to see more.

Ryan Poles hasn't drafted a more successful defensive lineman at end or tackle than Dexter, who is the most productive drafted defensive lineman they've had in the pass rush for his first three years since Henry Melton had 15 1/2 from 2010-12.

Melton made the Pro Bowl in 2011.

Dexter has more sacks in his first three seasons than two-time Pro Bowl player Tommie Harris did in his first three seasons.

It's all something to put into the mix in a year when the Bears will, no doubt, draft a defensive tackle and must decide whether to extend Dexter's contract in discussion with his new agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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