The Atlanta Falcons traded for Gervon Dexter thinking he could be a force in their defensive front. Dexter was an on-again, off-again presence in the Chicago Bears defense, one who was intermittently useful against the run and more frequently a fearsome pass rusher. With Nate Ollie coaching him and in a scheme that would allow him to continuously and joyously pursue the quarterback, Atlanta’s trade suggested, Dexter could flirt with greatness.
Through three weeks, that’s exactly what he’s done, as
he’s piled up one of the highest pressure totals of any interior defensive lineman and has formed a devastating duo with Brandon Dorlus. The Falcons decided there was no point in waiting to lock him up in a contract year, signing him to a big money four year deal that continues a trend of Atlanta signing their stars to long-term deals under a new regime.
Here’s what Ian Cunningham had to say about the deal, per the team’s website:
“Gervon is a young, ascending talent whose power, disruption and impact along the defensive line are difficult to find,” Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said. “What’s been just as impressive is the growth he’s shown off the field as a man and a father. His passion for the game and commitment to his teammates are qualities we value highly, and we’re excited to keep him as an important part of our defense moving forward. I also want to thank Drew and Jason Rosenhaus for their communication and partnership throughout this process.”
A fifth round pick and Clark Phillips are not prices you’d associate with a game-changing talent, but that’s what the Falcons paid to get Dexter back in August. Ian Cunningham played a role in drafting Dexter in Chicago as the team’s assistant general manager and clearly coveted him, but the Bears were also clearly wary of paying him big money given his inconsistency as a run defender and tackler in particular. The Falcons bought low on a player who they felt was an ideal fit for their attacking front alongside Dorlus, Maason Smith, and LaCale London, and thus far Dexter has been everything they hoped for.
He’s been fine against the run, but the sheer havoc he’s wreaked as a pass rusher is what Atlanta’s paying for, and the early returns have been terrific. Dexter has 14 pressures already this year, per Pro Football Focus, which is about a third of a way to his 2025 total of 43 through just three games. Teams have struggled mightily to keep him and Dorlus from blasting past overmatched linemen, with the pair haunting Jordan Love’s dreams in particular for the foreseeable future. It’s a hefty price to pay for an interior defensive lineman, but if you believe this is Dexter’s new standard, it’s better to pay it now than at the end of the season when other teams would be clamoring for him and the price tag might go up substantially.
This fits a larger trend, too. Ian Cunningham clearly wants to ensure the high-end core of this team—Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Dexter, and (though he’s still proving it) Matthew Bergeron—stick around in 2027 and beyond when this team has substantial resources to improve the roster around them. Getting the defensive interior in particular squared away for at least this season and next with Dexter, Dorlus, and Smith gives Atlanta a formidable group that can provide the kind of interior pressure that wrecks games. They simply have to keep it up now.
Congratulations to Dexter, and may this be just the beginning of his reign of terror in the NFC South.
