Gervon Dexter Sr.
(AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)

First & Long: Dexter Exceeding Lofty Preseason Goals, Bears Offense Improving, Green Bay Among Worst Destination Cities

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterOctober 2, 2024

Gervon Dexter set some lofty goals ahead of this season. He was a dominating presence on social media where fans could witness his strength gains, weight loss, and improved agility. The second-year defensive tackle vowed to register at least eight sacks in 2024. Edge rusher Montez Sweat, Dexter’s linemate and partner in crime, said the young man would have a breakout season. We said the same thing back in July.

“You’re gonna see man. He’s pretty good,” Sweat said about Dexter. “I feel like he’s still just kind of unlocking himself and being himself. And I think that’s gonna really flourish this year, but he’s a really talented kid. He’s one of those quick [defensive] tackles and [he’s] strong as hell. It’s really a sight to see. But yeah, he’s gonna jump out on the scene for sure.”

So far, everybody’s been on the money. Dexter has 12 tackles, seven of which are solo efforts, to go with three sacks and three TFLs. He also has eight pressures, two hurries, and four knockdowns. Dexter, who’s on pace to reach double-digit sacks, has been an unstoppable force. He’s having a better year than Jalen Carter, the player most fans wish the Bears would have drafted in 2023. If you’re looking for a better comparison, take a look at Chris Jones or Jeffery Simmons. Jones has made five Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro honors in two of those seasons. Simmons has two Pro Bowls and two second-team All-Pro nominations on his résumé.

Dexter has similar size and mirrors the traits of both stars. All he needed to do was translate that physicality and skill to the playing field, and though it’s a small sample size, that’s exactly what he’s done through four games. Chicago’s defense will be elite if he continues at that pace.

Bears News & Notes

There’s a Flag…On the Play

Bears legend Dick Butkus as a running back? Why have I not seen this clip until today?

Scout Team

  1. NFL insider Adam Schefter claims Diontae Johnson will leave Carolina in free agency after this season. The Panthers may try to trade Johnson if they believe he will leave.
  2. The Steelers would love to reacquire Johnson, but can’t because of league rules.
  3. Cornerback Dane Jackson and tight end Ian Thomas can begin practicing this week, opening their 21-day window to be activated from injured reserve.
  4. Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has been the highlight of the team’s offense through the first four weeks.
  5. Linebacker Shaq Thompson suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals.
  6. The Bears are one of three teams that Andy Dalton has yet to beat in his career

Film Room

My gut feeling is that D.J. Moore is going to have a big game against his former team. Moore had five catches for 58 yards in last year’s contest, which was started by Tyson Bagent.

Northern Exposure

  • Minnesota (4-0): The Vikings have a +57 point differential this season and have held 20+ point leads in three of their four wins with two of those being 22 and 27-point victories. Minnesota also ranks dead last in passing yards allowed with 1,097 in four games.
  • Detroit (3-1): Quarterback Jared Goff didn’t throw a single incompletion Monday night in the Lions’  42-29 win, going 18-for-18 for 292 yards and two touchdowns, including a 70-yard TD toss to Jameson Williams. In doing so, Goff became the first QB in NFL history to attempt more than 10 passes in a game without throwing an incompletion. sadly, he did not receive a game ball from head coach Dan Campbell.
  • Green Bay (2-2): The Packers are among the favorites to acquire Raiders WR Davante Adams. Let’s face it though, he’s going to the Jets to join Aaron Rodgers if Las Vegas trades him.

Around the NFL

Bears fans will love this, though you need a subscription to The Athletic to access the content: Green Bay and Buffalo were voted the worst fan destinations ($) in the NFL. Lambeau Field, however, offers the small Wisconsin community a great deal of redemption according to many players.

It looks like Justin Fields will start his fifth straight game for the Steelers this weekend.

Pittsburgh is reportedly interested in WR DeAndre Hopkins if the Titans decide to trade him.

At least 11 teams would be interested in acquiring Adams from the Raiders if Las Vegas makes him available.

In a bombshell announcement, the All-Pro receiver asked to be traded earlier this week.

Ex-Packers running back Eddie Lacy was arrested on charges of “extreme DUI” late Monday night.

Donald Trump criticized the NFL’s new dynamic kickoff rules, enough so that Roger Goodell is mulling some changes.

Bills linebacker Von Miller received a four-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct rules.

The league did not elaborate on the reason for the suspension, but it comes after an alleged domestic dispute in Texas in 2023.

Two-Minute Drill

Poles wanted a “Godfather haul” for the top pick in the 2023 draft, and the Panthers acquiesced. To recap the trade, the Bears sent the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft to Carolina in exchange for Moore and selections in the first (No. 9) and second rounds (No. 61) in 2023, a 2024 first-round choice that turned out to be Williams and a 2025 second-round selection. That means the Bears essentially got Moore, Stevenson, Wright, Williams, Taylor, and one remaining pick for Bryce Young. Ex-Bear QB Andy Dalton replaced Young as Carolina’s starter in Week 3 while Moore signed an extension with the Bears this offseason. He led Chicago with 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. He also rushed for another score.

Here’s a recap of all 20 trades Poles has made since joining the Bears in 2022.

Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust

  1. The NFC North is becoming one of the NFL’s strongest divisions. All four teams — including the Bears — have a positive point differential. Three of the four teams are in the top 12 according to this week’s power rankings.
  2. In week 4, Sam Darnold became the 1st QB in the Super Bowl era to win his 1st 4 games with a new team and throw 2+ TDs in each game.
  3. Jayden Daniels and the Commanders have scored on 16 consecutive drives.

Chicago’s Very Own Swifties

Raise your hand if you refused to give up on D’Andre Swift after a few very bad games to start the season.

Swift, who was Chicago’s marquee free agent signing in March, had 114 total yards through three weeks and averaged 1.8 yards per carry. Against the Rams, Swift totaled 16 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown while catching all seven targets for 72 yards. According to ESPN Research, Swift got 74 of his 93 rushing yards before contact (4.6 yards before contact per rush), a significant increase from the 0.78 yards before contact per rush he averaged in Weeks 1-3. That’s a far cry from the speed option play at the goal line the week before that lost 12 yards.

Swift is a Pro Bowl running back and by a far margin, Chicago’s best runner. He averaged 6.3 yards per touch with the Lions in 2022 and 7.2 against the Rams on Sunday. Most fans prefer Roschon Johnson because he was a sleeper pick in last year’s draft, but make no mistake, Swift deserves to start. Tuck those first three games into the corner and forget about them. Chicago’s play calling was atrocious and the offensive line wasn’t much better. Neither Johnson nor Khalil Herbert would have fared much better.

The Bears are a better team with Swift getting the bulk of the carries.

From the Podium

  • “Before we all go out, everybody [in the defensive backfield] says, ‘I’m going to get a pick.’ The D-line is like ‘I’m going to get a strip-sack.’ [We’re] kind of just competing all the time [about] who’s going to make that play. So, it was almost Darrell Taylor, he almost got there, but for him, he’s able to impact the throw and Jaquan is able to get the pick. So just competing all the time and going out in those moments and making a play.” – Jaylon Johnson
  • “It’s pretty special, first one, [but] I think we’re all chasing something a little bigger than that. It’s pretty cool to be recognized by the league. Those things are hard to win, but I’m kind of just worried about the next week now. But, yeah, it’s pretty special, probably something I will look back on when my career is done.” – Taylor
  • “[Caleb] was better because I thought he looked down the field for the shots. When we weren’t there, he took the check-downs, and we got a lot of yards on those. I think that was better for him. Again, he’s going to keep improving every single week. But I do think that for him, the operation of the ball, honoring the football and taking care of the football is the number one job of the quarterback, and he did an excellent job of that today.” – Eberflus
Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterOctober 2, 2024
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