Montez Sweat predicts breakout year for Bears teammate Gervon Dexter

There are high expectations surrounding the Chicago Bears defense, which had a strong finish to the 2023 season. Now, they have the potential to be a top-five defense in the NFL.

Chicago has an ascending secondary returning All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson, a top linebacker duo with T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds and a star edge rusher in Montez Sweat. And there are some young players on the roster looking to take a step forward this season.

Sweat recently appeared on the Green Light Podcast with Chris Long, where he had high praise for defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, even going so far to predict a breakout season for last year’s second-round rookie.

“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 was strong as hell. It’s really is really a sight to see. But yeah, he’s gonna jump out on on the scene for sure.”

The Bears selected Dexter in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft, and he showed signs of his potential during his rookie season. While it took him some time to adjust to the pros, his improvement was notable with the more reps he saw. Dexter totaled 20 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 12 QB hits and two pass breakups in 17 games with one start.

With Justin Jones exiting in free agency, Chicago has a starting job to fill at three-technique. Dexter is the favorite to assume the role, especially given the Bears haven’t made a move to fill that vacant spot yet. We’ll see if Dexter can take the next step forward in Year 2.

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Story originally appeared on Bears Wire