One Chicago Bears Player Who Just Dodged a Major Draft-Day Bullet

The Bears didn't address the defensive tackle position until the sixth round. Gervon Dexter is a very lucky man as a result of that fact.

Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A Chicago Bears helmet sits on the field prior to a game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Virtually everyone expected the Bears to address the defensive line in the early rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, that didn't exactly come to fruition. Their only addition to the D-line came via their sixth-round dart throw at Relative Athletic Score maven Jordan van den Berg.

While the Georgia Tech product could surprise and contribute as early as his rookie season, he's unlikely to provide anything more than a supporting role in a rotation. He's raw and will need some seasoning before they'll feel comfortable counting on him (that is, if they ever reach that stage).

While Gervon Dexter's future in Chicago was highly in doubt after he was the subject of trade conversations at the NFL Scouting Combine, his role now appears safe for the 2026 season. Barring a shocking development, he'll be returning to play out the final year of his rookie contract.

They passed on opportunities to improve the DT position

Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, September 6, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Peter Woods, whom the Chiefs selected with the 29th pick, would've been a logical selection for Chicago at pick 25. No one would've batted an eye if they drafted Kayden McDonald, who came off the board seven picks later, either.

The Bears' brass didn't feel urgency to go that route, though. They instead took the top player on their board (at a major position of need) in Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman. They also passed up on a few quality defensive tackles on day two of the draft, and instead focused their attention on the offensive side of the ball.

The fact that they didn't prioritize the position isn't necessarily a massive vote of confidence in Dexter. However, it's at least an indication that they're comfortable with him playing a key role in 2026.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs through a tackle by Chicago Bears linebacker D'Marco Jackson (48) and defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (99) on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won the game, 28-21. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bears underwent a massive facelift at the defensive tackle position this offseason. They lost three defensive tackles in free agency and signed three more players (two of whom could land on the practice squad when it's all said and done) to replace them. Neville Gallimore is really the only one guaranteed a role on defense next season.

Grady Jarrett will also have a role, but Dexter has much better odds of staying on the field on third down. He simply has more pass-rush juice at this stage of his career, and he has a respectable 11 sacks over the past two years to show for it.

Dexter's future is still majorly in doubt

Dec 20, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (99) acknowledges the crowd during player introductions before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

While Dexter will have a role on the 2026 squad, I'm not convinced he'll have a future in Chicago beyond that point. As I mentioned above, he'll be a free agent after the season, and he hasn't done nearly enough to warrant a big contract thus far.

The area of his game where he'll need to show the most growth is his ability to stop the run. The Bears gave up the sixth-most yards in the league last season, and Dexter did absolutely nothing to stop the bleeding. He's a complete non-factor in that department.

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (99) and defensive end Montez Sweat (98) tackle San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) in the second half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

He didn't complete that tackle....^

While a year-four breakout isn't out of the realm of possibilities, it feels unlikely that they'd be willing to commit to a multi-year deal based on one season of high-quality play. I think they'd be much more likely to franchise tag him in the (somewhat unlikely) chance that he finally reaches his potential.

With Caleb Williams and Darnell Wright contracts on the horizon, I don't think he'll be much of a long-term priority whatsoever. The bar really is the floor, though. Dexter will probably be happy to have a relatively untouched role for 2026.