The Chicago Bears traded defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. to the Atlanta Falcons in August, hoping cornerback Clark Phillips III could help strengthen their secondary.
Nearly two months later, that decision is looking increasingly questionable.
Phillips has played just 26 defensive snaps for Chicago despite the Bears dealing with problems at cornerback. Meanwhile, Dexter has already made an impact in Atlanta, including a sack against his former team in Week 6.
And to make matters worse, the Falcons rewarded Dexter with a four year, $78 million contract extension on September 30.
It’s still early, but the Bears aren’t getting much out of a trade that cost them a young defensive lineman Atlanta apparently views as a long term piece of its defense.
Bears still haven’t found a role for Clark Phillips III
The frustrating part about the Clark Phillips III situation is that the Chicago Bears could actually use some help at cornerback.
Jaylon Johnson has been a massive liability as the rest of the group has dealt with its share of issues. Tyrique Stevenson entered Week 7 questionable with a hip injury, while Kyler Gordon has only recently returned to the lineup after missing the early portion of the season.
Rookie Malik Muhammad has also taken on a significant role, playing 275 defensive snaps through seven games. Phillips, meanwhile, has barely been involved.
Phillips played just 26 defensive snaps through Week 7, with 22 of those coming against Atlanta in Week 6. He then saw his playing time drop to four snaps against the New England Patriots.
For comparison, Muhammad has played more than 10 times as many defensive snaps. That’s a pretty significant difference for a player Chicago went out of its way to acquire before the season.
Sure Phillips missed nearly all of 2025 and was never guaranteed a starting job. But if the Bears believed he could help their defense when they traded Dexter, it’s fair to wonder why he hasn’t earned a bigger opportunity.
Gervon Dexter is making the Bears decision look worse
Meanwhile, Gervon Dexter has wasted little time making an impression for the Atlanta Falcons…
Through Atlanta’s first three games, Dexter generated 15 quarterback pressures and ranked eighth in the NFL in pressure rate among players with at least 50 pass-rush snaps.
Of course the Chicago Bears weren’t necessarily wrong to move on from Dexter. He was approaching the final year of his rookie contract, and the Bears may not have wanted to make the kind of financial commitment Atlanta eventually offered. Plus, the 2027 fifth round pick Chicago received remains part of the trade’s value.
But the Bears have their own problems along the defensive line, especially when it comes to generating consistent pressure.
Dexter recorded 11 sacks across the 2024 and 2025 seasons with Chicago, production that isn’t particularly easy to replace from the interior. And seeing him thrive in Atlanta while Clark Phillips III struggles to get on the field certainly doesn’t help.
The Bears are 5-2 and have plenty to feel good about through seven games. One questionable trade isn’t going to define their season.
Still, Chicago gave up a young defensive tackle with legitimate pass-rushing ability for a cornerback who has played roughly 7% of the team’s defensive snaps.
Unless Phillips starts earning a larger role, the Bears could find themselves regretting this decision for quite some time.
Bears Have a $78 Million Reason to Regret One Trade