The Bears' Defensive Tackles Have Plenty to Prove in Their Preseason Opener

Aug 5, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen walks on the field during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears' defensive line is going to be a talking point throughout the 2026 season. Last year, the defensive line didn't provide much help for the defensive unit. This year, players like Montez Sweat and Austin Booker will need to provide pressure off the edge, while the defensive tackle unit needs to crush the pocket from the inside.

The Bears added several names to the defensive tackle rotation this offseason while also bringing back a few familiar faces. Saturday's preseason opener will be the unit's first test to see if the defensive tackle group has actually improved.

The Bears Need More From Their Defensive Tackles in 2026

The two defensive tackles that are on the top of every Bears fan's mind are rookie Jordan Van Den Berg and Grevon Dexter Sr. Van Den Berg, the sixth round, has been making the most noise throughout the first two weeks of training camp.

Last week, the rookie got into a little scrap with an undrafted rookie offensive lineman, Caden Barnett. While fights should never be celebrated, the reports shared that it seemed to fire other defenders up.

In addition to the fight, Van Den Berg has also been climbing his way up the practice depth chart. He started practicing with the threes. However, he quickly moved up to the second team, even having some dominant reps against rookie center Logan Jones. This earned him some play time with the first team, where he also impressed.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was asked about Van Den Berg's ascent on Sunday. Allen said," He's another guy that has really taken to the coaching. Allen said. "He plays with great pad level.  He can get in a good stance and come off and strike the line of scrimmage.  And he's got some pretty good football instincts.  He plays extremely hard.  A lot of the things that we saw on tape at Georgia Tech, we're seeing a lot of those same athletic qualities show up."

This high praise from his coach is not the only praise Van Den Berg has received. Veteran journeyman Neville Gallimore also shared insight into Van Den Berg. He said," I think he's gonna be a hell of a football player, I think he's growing. His understanding of the game is improving everyday. I just love his competitiveness. Great guy for the locker room. He does his job at a high level and, again, I think he's only going to get better as he continues to be a part of the system."

Getting the attention of the defensive coordinator, a veteran teammate and the media during the first two weeks of training camp is a great sign for Van Den Berg. Now he just needs to produce in games, and Saturday is his first chance to do so.

Gervon Dexter Needs to Turn Camp Progress Into Game Production

Dexter, on the other hand, is a different story. Although he is one of the top two defensive tackles on the team, he hasn't been very productive in his three-year career. Part of the reason for that is that he doesn't have a great get-off.

Despite this being an issue that has plagued him the first three years of his career, he believes this could be the year it's better. He has been working on it with defensive line coach Jeremey Garrett. On Sunday, Dexter said, "That's one of the biggest improvements I've made coming into this year is just knocking the line of scrimmage back, and that's what this staff wants, They want you to set a new line of scrimmage, so I worked on that, and I've seen a lot of improvement."

While Dexter's comments sound encouraging, his improved performance needs to show up during games. Even though he is a starter, Chicago should have Dexter play one or two drives on Saturday. The Bears need to see if the improvements he's talked about in camp will translate to a real game before the regular season begins.

Besides Van Den Berg and Dexter, the Bears have veterans James Lynch, Kentavius Street, and Gallimore. Lynch and Street are likely the players battling for a roster spot during the preseason. So one of them needs to prove to be of good depth.

The Bears don't need their defensive tackles to dominate the preseason opener. But they do need to see signs that this group can be more disruptive in 2026. Saturday will be the first opportunity to find out.