Before the Atlanta Falcons successfully trimmed their roster down to 53 players on Sunday, they made a splash trade with the Chicago Bears. Atlanta sent cornerback Clark Phillips III and a fifth-round pick to Chicago for defensive tackle Gervon Dexter.
Phillips, a former fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, spent his first three seasons in Atlanta. He appeared in 28 games (seven starts) and recorded 63 tackles (50 solo), one interception and 10 passes defended.
The former Utah standout posted a message to fans in Atlanta following Sunday's trade. Here's what Phillips had to say.
"Thank you Atlanta. Forever grateful for my time with the Falcons organization, my teammates, coaches, and the incredible fan base. Thank you for embracing me and supporting
me every step of the way. Excited for this next chapter and ready to get to work in Chicago." - Clark Phillips III
Thank you Atlanta ❤️ Forever grateful for my time with the Falcons organization, my teammates, coaches, and the incredible fan base. Thank you for embracing me and supporting me every step of the way. Excited for this next chapter and ready to get to work in Chicago 🐻⬇️
— Clark Phillips lll (@ClarkPhillips21) August 30, 2026
The Falcons have put together a fairly deep secondary, so trading Phillips for a quality starting defensive tackle seems like a win for both teams. Phillips might get more of an opportunity to stand out Chicago.
Atlanta trimmed its roster down to 53 players on Sunday. Check out the team's first official 53-man roster of the 2026 NFL season. Plus, follow our practice squad tracker for each signing.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Former Falcons CB Clark Phillips comments on being traded to Bears
