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LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS - JUNE 10: Gervon Dexter Sr. #99 of the Chicago Bears warms up during Chicago Bears Minicamp at Halas Hall on June 10, 2026 in Lake Forest, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)

There’s pressure on a bunch of key players on the Chicago Bears to step up their game this season for various reasons, and one player in the spotlight is defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr.

Dexter, 25, is heading into the final year of his $6.7 million rookie deal. Over the offseason, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that teams were inquiring with the Bears about Dexter’s potential availability for a trade, tweeting out, “Sources: Teams have inquired with the #Bears about trading for DT Gervon Dexter, as the free-agent DT market and draft class are not deep. The 24-year-old started all 17 games last season and has 13.5 career sacks and 42 QB hits. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract.”

Fast forward to June 20th, and Dexter is still on the Bears. However, a potential $25 million decision could force Chicago to look at other options with him.

Bears Face Potential $25M Decision Regarding Gervon Dexter Sr.

The Bears will have to make a decision soon whether it’s worth handing Gervon Dexter Sr. an extension or not, and Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton wrote more on the situation.

“Over three seasons, Dexter has developed a knack for making plays in the backfield. He’s produced a steady uptick in sacks and tackles for loss. Because of his pass-rushing numbers, the 24-year-old could command a lucrative deal in free agency next offseason. Chicago can get ahead of those demands by offering him north of $25 million annually. On the interior, he could be the long-term complement to edge-rusher Montez Sweat.”

The problem for Chicago is Dexter is not the team’s main worry when it comes to handing extensions. The Bears still have to hand star right tackle Darnell Wright an extension, which, according to Chat Sports’ Harrison Graham, could be a four-year, $112 million deal with $82 million guaranteed.

The problem? As of June 20th, Chicago has $8.7 million in available cap space for 2027. Not to mention the Bears have Caleb Williams’ extension looming in the near future.

The Pressure is on Dexter to Perform Early, Or He Coud Be A Midseason Trade Candidate

GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 14: Gervon Dexter Sr. #99 of the Chicago Bears celebrates a sack during the second half against the Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

The reality for Gervon Dexter Sr. is that he must perform well early in the season if he doesn’t want the Bears to even think about potentially trading him during the 2026 NFL season.

The Bears, on paper, need help on the defensive line, so it doesn’t look like it’ll make sense to trade him away. But handing Dexter an extension that pays him around $25 million per season is a tough decision to make considering the Bears have other key players they need to extend and are low on available cap space.

In three seasons, Dexter has appeared in 49 games, racking up 115 total tackles and 13.5 sacks. The hope is he can up his production in Year 4, but if that’s not the case, the Bears might decide to trade him during the season and receive some draft capital in return, rather than breaking the bank to keep him on the roster.

Regardless of what the Bears decide to do with Dexter, they’ll have to make a tough decision when the time comes.