The Atlanta Falcons did not wait to see if Gervon Dexter Sr. would work out. They signed him to a four-year, $78 million deal just one month after trading for him. This is a bold move that shows the team trusts the big man in the middle. According to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter, the contract includes $46.5 million in guaranteed money. That is a huge bet on a player who has not even started a game for Atlanta yet.
The Price of a True Anchor
Seventy-eight million dollars for a defensive tackle sounds like a lot of cash. But the Falcons need someone to eat up blockers and let the linebackers make plays. Dexter is 6-foot-6 and 326 pounds. Within the lineup’s core, he acts as a true catalyst for fans. According to heavy.com, Dexter holds the eighth spot league-wide for quarterback pressure rate at 20.5 percent. He has only half a sack so far, but he is making life hard for the opposing offense. Despite minimal blitzing, the Falcons secure the third NFL rank for quarterback pressure rate. This proves Dexter is doing the dirty work that stats often miss.
Defensive line coach Nate Ollie wants his players to play fast and free. “It’s a mindset more than anything,” Ollie said earlier this month. He told his players to visualize themselves running in a dark room. Dexter is buying into this approach. He has played 53 percent of the snaps in his first three games. The team is not paying him to sit on the bench. They need him to be a starter every single week.
A Smart Investment for the Future
Dexter turns 25 on Oct. 5. He is young enough to get better for years to come. The Chicago Bears drafted him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He had 11 sacks over his last two seasons with them. Now, he will be the new cornerstone of the Atlanta front. This deal puts him right between Aaron Donald and Osa Odighizuwa in terms of annual pay. He is well below the top of defensive tackle market, with a $19.5 million annual average. The Eagles’ Jalen Carter makes $38 million per year, which is double what Dexter will earn. This deal is a bargain for a player with his size and skill set.
The Falcons have been aggressive with their spending this year. They gave Bijan Robinson a record deal. They extended Kyle Pitts and Drake London. Adding Dexter to that mix shows a clear plan to build a strong roster. To acquire him, the squad traded cornerback Clark Phillips III plus a 2027 fifth-round pick.
