Gervon Dexter, Clark Phillips III, Jordan van den Berg all beside each other Pile of bricks in the background
Gervon Dexter, Clark Phillips III, Jordan van den Berg all beside each other Pile of bricks in the background
The Chicago Bears entered 53-man roster cutdown day with a team that increasingly looks built to contend immediately. Caleb Williams has an exciting collection of weapons around him. Their secondary possesses legitimate star power, and the linebacking corps has speed. Yet amid all the calculated roster decisions, Chicago made one move that could come back to haunt it. Trading defensive tackle Gervon Dexter to the Atlanta Falcons may have solved an immediate problem in the secondary. Ultimately, though, it also created a much larger question in the middle of the defense.
One glaring weakness
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball to running back Kyle Monangai (25) during training camp at Halas Hall
Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The newly crystallized 53-man roster represents a fascinating blend of high-end star power, calculated veteran depth, and youth-infused athleticism. On offense, Williams commands a lethal backfield featuring D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, and Roschon Johnson. Their passing attack is led by Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond, and tight end Colston Loveland. They are behind an offensive line anchored by Darnell Wright and Joe Thuney.
Defensively, this unit retains elite perimeter talent through Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson. Newly acquired nickel defender Clark Phillips III adds a bit of depth and versatility alongside safeties Dillon Thieneman, Xavier Woods and Cam Lewis. TJ Edwards and Devin Bush headline a fast linebacker group. Still, beneath all that obvious talent, the defensive tackle rotation has undergone a dramatic overhaul. That has left the interior unusually dependent on immediate production from inexperienced players.
Parting ways
Trading Dexter to Atlanta was a mistake. Sure, the logic is understandable. The Bears needed additional help in the secondary with Kyler Gordon dealing with an injury. Phillips provides tha. However, fixing one roster weakness by creating another is rarely how championship teams operate.
Dexter was only 24 years old and had already established himself as a legitimate starting-caliber interior defender. He started 15 games last season and recorded five sacks. Interior defensive tackles control gaps, absorb double teams, disrupt blocking combinations and determine whether linebackers have clean opportunities to attack downhill. Dexter's size and power could occupy space while still creating pressure. Now that presence is gone. And the Bears did not replace it with another established starter.
The Jordan van den Berg gamble
Instead, much of the attention now shifts toward Jordan van den Berg. There is plenty to like about van den Berg. His athletic testing profile is exceptional. The kid's first step is explosive. His motor has generated legitimate excitement. That said, potential is not the same thing as proven production.
Van den Berg has never had to handle the weekly punishment of an NFL regular season. much less the responsibility that comes with being part of an NFL defensive tackle rotation. Behind veteran Grady Jarrett and Neville Gallimore, the margin for error suddenly looks considerably smaller. That is where the Dexter decision becomes particularly concerning.
Test the middle
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The NFC North is filled with offenses capable of attacking defensive weaknesses relentlessly. If opponents identify the Bears' interior as a potential soft spot, offensive coordinators will repeatedly test it. That pressure will eventually reveal whether van den Berg is ready.
If he holds his ground and allows Edwards and Bush to operate freely behind him, the Bears could eventually look brilliant for making the gamble. However, if van den Berg hits a developmental wall, Chicago could discover that the trade removed more than one player from its defense. It removed a reliable answer.
Short-term solution, long-term question
Chicago Bears defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg (96) makes a tackle against Cincinnati Bengals running back Kentrel Bullock (31) during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium.
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
This is ultimately why the Dexter trade feels like such an unnecessary gamble. The Bears had already assembled a solid roster. They could easily justify an aggressive championship push.
Of course, Phillips can help. There is little doubt about that. Still, the value of solving a secondary depth issue has to be measured against the cost of weakening the defensive interior. If Gordon returns healthy and Phillips becomes a rotational piece, Chicago may eventually wonder whether it sacrificed too much to solve a temporary problem.
Meanwhile, Dexter gets the opportunity to strengthen Atlanta's defensive front. That could make this decision even more painful.
Chicago's defense is supposed to be built around speed, pressure and physicality. That philosophy requires enough bodies up front to keep the linebackers clean. A thin defensive tackle rotation threatens all three components. The Bears are therefore placing enormous faith in van den Berg.
If he delivers, the move becomes easier to defend. If he struggles, the organization will have a lot of explaining to do. If the Bears' defense gets pushed around inside, this decision will be remembered as the moment they created their own biggest weakness.