Dexter on his improvement, Williams' mobility in pocket |
LAKE FOREST, I.L. - Not much changed for Chicago’s defense in the offseason. Besides the departure of defensive tackle Justin Jones, the players are very much the same. The Bears did not sign anyone for the defensive line, and they only drafted one player, Austin Booker, a fifth-round selection.
Many people thought the Bears should have picked someone up in free agency or in the draft to improve the defensive line. However, one reason they did not do that was that they have defensive lineman Gervon Dexter, whom they drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. At 6-foot 6, 303 pounds, he is a player poised to cause disruptions in the backfield and he is already doing that by getting his hands up and tipping balls in training camp. “I got long arms. I’m a bigger, taller guy. So, if there’s a situation where I can’t get all the way to the quarterback and get that sack, you got to get your hands up and (tip some) passes, and those turn to turnovers, and that’s what we want as a defense. So, just get my hands up on some of those passes,” Dexter said. “I think I’ve actively gotten better. I think in college, for me, sometimes when (I) didn’t get a sack, the play was over. But now, I know with (defensive coordinator) Coach (Eric) Washington, (defensive line coach) Coach (Travis Smith), they preach a lot (to) get your hands up, back the ball. So I think now, (it) has come into my head that if I’m not there, I need to get my hands up, or if I’m the splitter rush guy and I’m at the point where I’m right in front of the quarterback, I need to get my hands up.” As a defensive lineman, he is going against various offensive linemen. Who he is going against has changed due to the injury to Nate Davis, who typically plays right guard. However, various linemen have stood out to Dexter when he has done against them in training camp. “I think we got a good group of guards,” Dexter said. “(Matt) Pryor has given me some good work. Nate Davis, when he was out there, was giving me great work. So, all of those guys, I’ve (gotten) some good work. I line up on the left. So, I haven’t gotten too much against Teven (Jenkins). But, when I’m over there, we get good work as well.” Dexter only recorded 4.5 sacks during his three years in college. At the next level, he surely wants to do more than that. The game has evolved, even from just a few years ago, as many quarterbacks have good mobility in the pocket and pose a rushing threat. Chicago’s rookie quarterback, Caleb Williams, has already shown himself to be one of those players during training camp, and containing him has been difficult for Dexter thus far. “His mobility in the pocket, trying to contain him. He makes his reads, and then he’s able to move around. He’s not a statute in there. So, just trying to contain him and stay level,” Dexter said. “As a d-line, we try to even up the rush lanes. Sometimes, with a guy like that, you think you got him in a spot where you can make it, and he’s able to get out of there. So, trying to contain him in that pocket.” Fans will get their first opportunity to see Williams, Dexter and other starters for this season in Chicago’s preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Sat. Aug. 10 (Noon / NFL Network).
