The Atlanta Falcons like what they see enough from this player to pay him handsomely.
The Atlanta Falcons are headed into Week 4 and attempting to get back to .500 after finally getting things going last Thursday with their dominating victory over the Green Bay Packers.
While the return of Michael Penix Jr. was the story of the night, it was the Falcons defense that ultimately was able to suffocate the Green Bay offense for the victory and that side of the ball has been extremely encouraging through the first three games of the year. Right before the start of the season though, the Falcons made a trade which maybe did not send shockwaves across the league, but it has changed their defensive line.
When Atlanta acquired Gervon Dexter Jr. from the Chicago Bears, he was thought to be another nice piece in the rotation. Three games into his tenure with the team, they have made a massive investment into him by awarding him a contract extension this week for four years and $78 million including $46.5 million guaranteed.
Dexter's Contract Proves Falcons Belief in Him as Core Piece
While Dexter was a quality player for the Bears, issues with his scheme fit not to mention the desire for a new contract ultimately were what made Chicago willing to deal him away. Clearly, Atlanta sees him not only as a fit for what they want to do on defense, but also as a core part of the interior.
Dexter has been getting after opposing quarterbacks so far through three games this year, leading the league in pass rush win rate among defensive linemen according to advanced stats from PFF. The new administration in the building was serious about getting tougher on defense, and that is exactly what Dexter was brought in and why he is being paid to stick around for the future.
It's a little bit of a risk from the Falcons perspective, but the way the front office sees it, the bigger risk is fielding a defensive line which is not formidable against opposing offenses. Dexter is not great against the run, but he has been strong enough against the pass that Atlanta feels they simply must keep him with the team for the long haul.
In Dexter, Falcons fans now have a guy they know will be with the team for years and someone who has quickly embraced Atlanta as his home as a potential franchise cornerstone of this defense.
