One of the more curious parts of the Chicago Bears’ off-season is what they’ve done with the defensive line. It is the only spot on the roster where you could argue that it lost more pieces than it gained. Justin Jones and Yannick Ngakoue both left in free agency. The only notable addition was 5th round pick Austin Booker. The rest were straight depth options. That either means GM Ryan Poles didn’t find the right opportunities to help the position, or the team is hopeful some of their young guys are ready to take the next step. Gervon Dexter sits at the heart of the latter.
The former 2nd round pick overcame a sluggish first half of 2023 to finish strong, notching 2.5 sacks and several pressures over the season’s final month. What people can’t seem to figure out is what role the Bears want him to play. Some believe he is the heir apparent to the all-important three-technique position, the designated interior pass rusher. Others think he is destined to replace Andrew Billings at nose tackle. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune provided some clarity on the situation.
The feeling I get is the Bears want Dexter to have the flexibility to play both positions. He has a massive frame at 6-6, 312 pounds, and that’s not the prototype for a three-technique in the Tampa-2 defense. I think they still like the idea of him as an interior pass rusher in sub packages, and remember, teams are in their nickel package more than in base personnel.
Billings is a better nose tackle right now. He is a massive rock in the middle of the defense, understands his role and rarely is out of position. Dexter got better as last season went along. He had 2½ sacks in the final five games and nine QB hits from Weeks 10-17. Let’s see what he can do in his second season, how he’s utilized and if he can take a jump now that he’s accustomed to playing with better leverage.
For those who don’t know, Autry was an undrafted free agent in 2014. After having a decent run there, he headed to Indianapolis to work with defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. He produced nine sacks in their first year together. It became evident right away how Eberflus planned to use him. His unique blend of size (6’5, 285 lbs), length, and athleticism allowed the Colts to move him inside and outside at will, creating matchups to their advantage. The Bears were doing that a lot with Dexter last season.
It speaks to what Biggs said. They don’t have one specific role picked out for him. They see him as a unique chess piece they can move around. It means Gervon Dexter isn’t necessarily their long-term solution at three-technique. That search continues. At the same time, he should be a major factor in their success for years to come, presuming he ends up as good as Autry has been. Maybe Zacch Pickens ends up taking a big step forward to help determine where the Bears are at.
