RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Chicago Bears have been involved in trade discussions surrounding defensive tackle, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on Tuesday. Dexter, who turns 25 in October, is currently in the final year of his rookie contract.
Schultz previously reported in February that teams were calling on Dexter’s availability around the time of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. Now, Schultz is claiming that there are “multiple scenarios where a deal could get done”.
Dexter was a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft coming out of Florida. He is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he tallied 44 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and a career-high 6.0 sacks. He placed No. 32 among 107 qualified defensive tackles in PFN DT Impact Scoring , a ranking which indicates he’s an average starting defensive tackle. That said, his pass-rushing production and youth gives him considerable upside on the open market.
Should the Bears actually trade Dexter, they would free up over $1.6 million in 2026 cap space . The reason to trade Dexter wouldn’t be highlighted by the immediate cap relief, but rather, the draft capital Chicago could obtain in a deal. If the team realizes they likely won’t extend him at the price he and his agency are asking for, it could make sense in the long run to get a draft pick for him, rather than let him walk in free agency for nothing.
Of course, the Bears’ defensive line has been the subject of much discussion leading up to the 2026-27 NFL season. Their four-man front consistently struggled to generate pressure in the pass rush and had issues in run support, and they didn’t do much to address the need this offseason. Trading Dexter would certainly weaken their interior defensive line and thrust the likes of Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, and sixth-round pick Jordan van den Berg into bigger roles alongside Grady Jarrett, who is coming off a disappointing 2025 season.
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