Chicago Bears rookie Gervon Dexter Sr. continues steady improvement in Week 16

Chicago Bears rookie defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. is quietly enjoying one of the better seasons for first-year defenders in 2023. 

He's been a pleasant development over the second half of an encouraging Bears season and has quickly become a player circled as one of this roster's building blocks.

Dexter has played 379 snaps this season, including 263 pass-rush snaps. While his season did get off to a slow start, he's now emerging as one of the more difficult assignments for opposing offensive linemen.

Check out these numbers over his last five games:

Dexter is playing like a top-10 interior pass rusher, even if his stat sheet doesn't suggest he is. He's appeared in 15 games this season (one start) and has two sacks. He nearly had a third in Week 16's win over the Arizona Cardinals, which was a game that showcased his power at the point of attack as well as his developing pass-rush arsenal.

Dexter had back-to-back games with a sack entering Week 16.

Dexter is a big dude (6-foot-6, 312 pounds) who plays up to his size. He doesn't get moved off his spot, and he plays through the whistle. A strong guy who hustles? Yeah, that's a winning mix of traits.

Here are all of Gervon Dexter Sr.'s reps in Week 16. Become a premium Bears Talker and share your thoughts (or grades) for his performance: