Things were looking up during the NFL Scouting Combine for Chicago Bears defensive tackle Shemar Turner. After a rough rookie season that ended with a torn ACL, it appeared that he was on his way to a second-year breakout when reports suggested Chicago was looking to trade starting defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr.
The move appeared to make sense as Dexter is entering the final year of his contract. and the Bears used a second-round pick on Turner in last April’s draft. Much to Turner's dismay, though, the hype was quickly squashed by the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs on Monday.
“They’re not taking (trade) calls on (Dexter). They’re not making calls on him,” Biggs said during an appearance on 104.3 The Score. "I’m reporting nothing is happening on that. They’ve got two defensive tackles under contract. They’re not looking to move one.”
While keeping one of the few players who contributed to the Bears’ pass rush last season with six sacks is good news, it may be the opposite for Turner, whose outlook changed dramatically in less than one week.
Shemar Turner Back at Square One After Gervon Dexter Sr. Trade Rumors Squashed
Turner’s rookie season did not go as planned after he was selected with the 62nd overall pick in last year’s draft. According to Pro Football Focus, Turner logged 74 total snaps in 2025, but only managed a 34.4 overall grade. He was also non-existent in the Bears’ pass rush, failing to log a quarterback pressure on 34 pass-rushing snaps.
Part of the reason could have been an ankle injury that Turner suffered on the first day of training camp. The other was that he was moved around on the defensive line, playing on the interior in his first two NFL games before being moved to defensive end for his final three.
It's also clear that the Bears can’t count on him to make a massive leap in 2026.
Dexter logged a career-high six sacks for the Bears last season, but it may have been a sell-high moment. His 55.8 overall PFF grade was the third-lowest among Chicago’s interior defenders last season, and he was ineffective stopping the run with a 42.8 grade and 22 run stops on 302 snaps. With his contract expiring after next season, a trade would be the best way to get something for him if they weren’t going to sign him long-term, but the only issue is that they don’t have a clear replacement for him.
Chicago clearly believes that Grady Jarrett can rebound from a disappointing first season with the Bears, and there’s a chance they could add a player in free agency or April’s draft to add some more depth to the position. The space could have been cleared if Turner showed anything in his rookie year, but those plans are on hold, especially with Chicago waiting to see how he responds to his season-ending injury.
A player who logged 10 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss in four seasons at Texas A&M, Turner’s story is not over. At the same time, trading Dexter would have given him a vote of confidence that he’ll have to create on his own if he wants to be promoted from a reserve role next season.