Chicago changed two parts of its defense with one late-August deal: defensive back Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round pick coming from Atlanta, defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr. going the other way. The Bears' Aug. 30 announcement described the agreement as pending physicals.
Phillips brings NFL experience without an established full-season starting record. Across three Atlanta seasons, he appeared in 28 regular-season games and started seven. Chicago's announcement credited him with 62 tackles, 10 passes defensed and an interception.
Atlanta selected Phillips in the fourth round in 2023 after his career at Utah. He started 31 college games and earned unanimous All-America recognition in 2022.
The deal preceded another change in Chicago's secondary: Coby Bryant went on injured reserve Sept. 1. That sequence makes the cornerback depth worth watching, though the transaction announcements do not establish Phillips as Bryant's direct replacement.
For Chicago, the return has two separate tests. Phillips must earn useful defensive work now; the fifth-round selection carries value into next year's roster building. Neither benefit makes Dexter's former snaps disappear. The Bears still have to distribute that work across the defensive line.
