Bears betting big on Jordan van den Berg

Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg (96) makes a tackle against Cincinnati Bengals running back Kentrel Bullock (31) during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There had been rumors for months, largely fanned by Fox's Jordan Schultz, that the Chicago Bears were looking to move Gervon Dexter. Over the weekend, those rumors materialized as there were reports that Dexter was on the move and headed to the Atlanta Falcons.

The trade makes some sense. Dexter's in the last year of his deal and the Bears have never really made any indication that they were planning on giving him a second contract. Ian Cunningham is now the GM in Atlanta, and he was a big part of the Dexter draft selection a few years ago. And the Bears receive CB Clark Phillips (and a 5th round pick) in return, and the Bears secondary is certainly a mess right now.

But for all the reasons that it makes sense, there's one reason it makes no sense: the Bears need all the talent they can get on the defensive line.

It's no secret that their defensive line is the weakest position group on the team. After Montez Sweat, there are some has-beens, some never-wases, and some hopeful prospects, but there certainly isn't much in terms of established help for Sweat.

Dexter was that guy. He certainly had weaknesses in his game, largely against the run, but he was able to get some interior pressure, and his play was consistently better than many others in that room.

So why make a weak position group even weaker?

Enter Jordan van den Berg.

Van den Berg has had an excellent training camp and has turned heads with some of his preseason highlights. His play has certainly been inconsistent, but that should be expected for a rookie 6th-round pick. The fact that the Bears traded two sevenths to move up to get him shows that they spent almost zero draft capital on this player, and he could be a contributor in year one.

But that's a key word there. He could be a contributor in year one; we don't necessarily know if he will be. But the Bears think they do know, and they think he will be.

.@ChicagoBears@Titans@JordanvandenB12@StaceyDales Some guys just know how to play the game....And with a maniac's intensity. He was born to be a Bear. #dabears#BaldysBreakdownspic.twitter.com/ELi5BzKOvm

- Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 30, 2026

When Brian Baldinger starts highlighting a player like this, people should listen. But are the Bears betting too much on a 6th-round rookie?

You can certainly make that case. The Bears have opened up a Super Bowl window, many of us think if the Bears aren't a true Super Bowl contending team this year, the defensive line is going to be the reason why they are not. The Bears just took their most consistent defensive tackle and traded him away because they are betting on a 6th-round rookie being just as reliable, if not more so than what Dexter has been.

Now, from a roster building exercise, if you can get draft capital for a player you don't see fitting into your longterm plans, it certainly makes sense to get something for them. But when you are as thin at a position as the Chicago Bears are, trading away a player is certainly risky business.

But Dexter is gone, and it's van den Berg time. I think there's no question that van den Berg is going to be a fan favorite. We will see van den Berg jerseys at Soldier Field sooner rather than later. We are going to see the rookie make some splash plays from time to time. But will the rookie have the learning curve and ability to be consistent and not either be wildly successful or wildly dominated during a series (something we saw in preseason).

The Bears believe they have found a diamond in the rough and that made Dexter expendable. Time will tell if the Bears scored something special with this year's sixth round pick. They are betting on it. As Bears fans, we are certainly hoping they are correct.