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Gervon Dexter extension: Falcons give DT huge $78M payday

Dustin Judge
Gervon Dexter extension: Field-level view inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons signed defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. to a four-year, $78 million contract extension that includes $46.5 million guaranteed, his agents, Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday. The Gervon Dexter extension comes a month after Atlanta acquired him from the Chicago Bears, a quick signal of how highly the front office values him.

Dexter, 24, ranks eighth in the NFL in quarterback pressure rate at 20.5% among defenders with at least 50 pass-rush snaps, according to ESPN, even though he has just a half sack this season.

Gervon Dexter extension terms

The Gervon Dexter extension is worth $78 million over four years, with $46.5 million guaranteed, according to ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Neither outlet has reported how the contract is structured, including the signing bonus or year-by-year salary cap figures.

What the Gervon Dexter extension means for Atlanta’s defense

Atlanta is committing major guaranteed money to an interior lineman whose impact shows up more in pressures than in sacks. The Falcons rank third in the league with a 41.6% pressure rate while blitzing on just 19% of snaps, the second-lowest blitz rate in the NFL, ESPN reported. In other words, Atlanta’s front four is collapsing the pocket without help from extra rushers, and Dexter has been a big part of that under defensive line coach Nate Ollie.

“It’s a mindset more than anything,” Ollie said earlier this month, per ESPN. “You got to be telling yourself every single rep that, man, I’m willing to run in a dark room. Just visualize yourself just running in a dark room and everything else [will] take care of itself. Just play fast, play free. [Dexter is] embracing the mindset.”

The timing also matters. Atlanta’s edge group has been thinned by Jalon Walker’s torn ACL and a suspension for James Pearce Jr., according to ESPN. The Gervon Dexter extension gives the Falcons a steady presence on the interior while they work around those absences.

How Dexter landed in Atlanta

Dexter entered the league as a second-round pick of the Bears in 2023 and recorded 11 sacks across the past two seasons, ESPN reported. Chicago had reportedly fielded trade inquiries about him as early as February, and the Falcons finally landed him Aug. 30 in a deal that sent cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Chicago.

Reporting from ESPN and Yahoo Sports contributed to this story.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.