Plenty of experts weren’t sure what to make of Gervon Dexter coming out of Florida. Most saw a big, strong defensive tackle who could be a quality nose tackle in the NFL. However, his “lack of get-off” made him an unlikely candidate to become an interior pass rusher. However, there were a select few who saw something different. Renowned analysts like Greg Cosell and Dane Brugler admitted there were glimpses of dominance from Dexter from time to time. Both mentioned the same name when describing it.
Chris Jones.
The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion is likely headed for the Hall of Fame once he retires. He has 78.5 sacks in his career and is only 30 years old. Nobody argues he is one of the four or five best pass rushers in the NFL. So, being compared to him is kind of a big deal. The Bears were willing to gamble that Dexter could develop into that type of player. After lots of hard work and patience, their efforts came to fruition on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, where the defensive tackle had a sack, a recovered fumble, and four quarterback hits.
He was unblockable for much of the afternoon.
Going into this season, Bears fans were hoping the former 2nd round pick could become another Henry Melton. While never a centerpiece type of player, he knew his role in the defense and was a solid interior pass rusher during the later stages of Lovie Smith’s time in Chicago. However, as the weeks go on, it might be time to wonder if the Bears may have found their next Tommie Harris. People forget that prior to a series of knee injuries, the former 1st round pick was a terror from 2005 through 2007. Had he stayed healthy, he may have been in the same conversation as Warren Sapp.
Gervon Dexter now has four sacks in five weeks. He also has seven QB hits. The guy is getting into the backfield every single week. His current pace probably won’t last, but it is evident at this point that he is not the one-dimensional player experts pinned him as. It is another reminder that using how a player was used in college to make his pro projection is bad evaluation. The Bears saw somebody with limitless growth potential. Now, he’s rewarding that faith.
