Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen emphasized at the outset of OTAs how he would be moving players around to get a better idea of their abilities.
It's worth wondering if there were ulterior motives for a few of their personnel maneuvers.
The two players were defensive lineman Gervon Dexter and slot cornerback Kyler Gordon. The ulterior motive could be knowing what they have for the future beyond 2025.
Dexter is one of the bigger defensive linemen they have and has been a 3-technique. However, the ability to stop the run has never been his strength, even while he improved at it somewhat last year.
The Bears got some reps for him as the nose tackle during offseason work and starting nose Andrew Billings definitely noticed this.
“When he got here he was playing nose that first couple of weeks," Billings said. "I like him at nose. I thought he was going to be a nose. I like him.”
Billings thinks it's not a physical problem for Dexter playing the position even if he is tall for that spot at 6-foot-6.
“Right now he's in that mindset that he's learning how to not only beat somebody athletically, but beat him mentally," Billings said. "He’s kind of got to figure that on his own, but he's doing good at that
Dexter played 96 reps at nose in his first two seasons, 724 in the B-gap as the 3-technique and 223 over the tackle or outside of it at end, according to Pro Football Focus' reps logged.
If they're getting a look at Dexter there it makes sense. They lost Billings last year and the run defense caved in, although it was teetering already. They don't want to be caught without a valued nose again.
They addressed the 3-technique spot with two players in free agent Grady Jarrett and rookie Shemar Turner. They would appear to be building the line for Dexter playing all up and down the line this year, but he put on weight and strength this year like a nose tackle would.
In fact, Dexter is listed by the Bears as their second-heaviest player on defense at 312 pounds. Only massive Jonathan Ford, the former Packers practice squad player they signed late in 2024 is heavier at 338. Billings is listed only at 311.
Billings is working at the final year of his contract and it wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination to think the Bears are working toward 2026 without Billings and with an emphasis on Dexter playing nose.
Still, Allen did say he wanted to move players all over to gauge their abilities. Having a wild-card player who moves all over the line effectively can be a real matchup problem for opponents. Dexter showed he can rush the passer with his five sacks last year.
Another possible move situation on defense also might be tied to the future and that's Kyler Gordon playing safety. Although he improved drastically at slot cornerback in the last two seasons, Allen wanted to see him some at safety.
The situation here tied to a contract is how starters Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker are both free agents after this season, as are backups Elijah Hicks and Jonathan Owens.
The Bears never did get much of a look at Gordon as a safety because he suffered a soft tissue injury in OTAs.
"He has ability to make plays all over the field in different phases," GM Ryan Poles said of Gordon. "He's a guy that I believe is ascending and will continue to grow, and when he gets into this new defense, I think his game can go to the next level as well."
Could it be at safety in 2026?
While this might be a maneuver aimed for next year, we'll need to wait now until training camp to see if there is value to it this season with Gordon.
