Bear Digest

Bears 2024 Training Camp Preview: Gervon Dexter's Next Big Step

The need for more pass rush pressure while maintaining the No. 1 run defense in the league means Gervon Dexter and possibly Zacch Pickens must be prepared to advance on Day 1.

Gene Chamberlain

Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke is cornered by Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. for a sack.
Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke is cornered by Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. for a sack. / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The face of Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington brightened at the mention of Gervon Dexter's name.

"Yeah, that's my guy," he said.

Dexter needs to be everyone's guy on the Bears defense this year. Too much rides on his improvement during Year 2.

The second-round pick at defensive tackle became Washington's "guy" through all of his conditioning work in the offseason. Dexter decided if he was going to be a 3-technique in a one-gap scheme then he had to look and feel the part. So he slimmed a bit, but more than anything else just got stronger and in better shape.

"I noticed the body composition first," Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. "It was really good. He changed his body in the time he was off, so he's much leaner now and he's quicker. He really looks good in terms of his get off.

"That was one thing he had to work on and then pad level, because he's such a big guy, tall guy. And he's worked on those things. But his movement, his athletic ability is even better now because he really worked on his body."

Pad level can be a problem for a 6-foot-6 defensive tackle. Dexter is a bit like former Eberflus/Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (6-7) in this regard. The Bears could only hope there are comparisons to Buckner in the future.

Throughout offseason work, they kept it simple as they pushed Dexter and backup Zacch Pickens forward. Both need to improve drastically against the run over last year with Justin Jones now out of the picture. Nose tackle Andrew Billings can't stop the run by himself.

BEARS UNDERRATED DUO CAN'T EVEN GET RECOGNIZED ON UNDERRATED TEAM

BEARS HAVE DIVISION'S FOURTH-BEST BACK ACCORDING TO WRITERS

BEARS TRAINING CAMP PREVIEW: ROME ODUNZE COMPLETES THE RECEIVER SET

"I want to see things that I know  will allow them to be as disruptive and as efficient with their rush fundamentals as possible," Washington said. "We're talking footwork, alignment adjustments based on the down and distance and when we're in an obvious passing situation.

"It's more awareness and just a great coordination of fundamentals that I know that are going to give them a chance to really win that particular rep and down."

The Bears increased Dexter's play total per game in the season's last eight games to an average of 27 from 24 but never let him play less than 20 snaps a game after he'd been in for 16 or fewer plays three times in the first half.

Nine of his 12 quarterback hits occurred then, as well as his 2

1/2 sacks and 11 of his 17 pressures.

Washington saw this progress when he watched film from last season after coming over from the Bills to be defensive coordinator. He said he saw some level of improvement from Pickens, as well.

"You could really see him becoming more and more comfortable because early in the season, like a lot of young players, especially on the line of scrimmage, they're behind because the tempo is just a lot quicker," Washington said. "It's a lot quicker. And they're trying to find a way not only to keep up but to find a way to play ahead of the football play.

"And so as the reps and the experiences start to accumulate you saw him starting to impose his will, that affected his technique."

What he didn't do was make a lot of plays behind the line in the running game like they need from a 3-technique. But they looked at him more as an interior rusher in this part of the season as they had Billings and Jones stopping the run.

Now it's Billings, and, they hope, Dexter.

 Bears Defensive Tackle Outlook

Starters: No. 99 Gervon Dexter, No. 97 Andrew Billings

Backups: No. 96 Zacch Pickens, No. 93 Byron Cowart

Roster Hopefuls: No. 78, Michael Dwumfour, No. 67 Keith Randolph Jr., No. 69 Dashaun Mallory, No. 59 Jamree Kromah (DT/DE)

Strengths: There are elements of both run stoppers and pass rushers, but what they're looking for is someone who does both. Billings was among the league's better defensive tackles stopping the run. Their No. 1 ranking against the run says as much. But neither Dexter nor Pickens are proven stopping the run. Likewise, Dexter showed interior pass rush ability late last year but Dexter is not a pass rusher. 

Weaknesses: Depth quality. Cowart is a player who had one starting season with New England but was a backup one year and just a player who barely made the roster another year. Pickens and Dexter played both positions at tackle some but neither stood out as a nose. One veteran, proven tackle might help but could also slow the progress of the young players.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

Published |Modified
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.