Having traded Khalil Mack already, speculation has ramped up that perhaps the Chicago Bears could look to do the same with Robert Quinn. Despite being 32-years old, the longtime pass rusher was terrific in 2021, posting 19 sacks. His value may never be any higher at his age than it currently is. Maybe GM Ryan Poles should cash out if he’s intent on adding more draft capital and salary cap space.
Then again, there doesn’t seem to be any rush to do so. Unloading Mack made a bit more sense. Injuries had begun piling up for him, and his contract was considerably larger than Quinn’s. Poles preferred to eat the dead money now while receiving a decent enough return from the Los Angeles Chargers. Quinn isn’t likely to fetch a 2nd round pick from other teams for his services.
At least not yet.
He fits new head coach Matt Eberflus’s defense far better as a 4-3 defensive end. It’s been his natural position since getting drafted way back in 2011. Retooling the defensive line with him as the anchor makes sense. At the same time, it also leaves their options open. If the Bears are a surprise playoff contender this year, great. Having him on board will help. On the other hand, if 2022 is a down season as many predict, then they can look to trade Robert Quinn at the deadline in October.
Teams trading veteran pass rushers around that time is hardly new. Notable names like Dante Fowler, Yannick Ngakoue, Markus Golden, Carlos Dunlap, and Von Miller have changed jerseys recently. Much of the compensation in return depends on the contract involved, the age of the player, and how productive he is at the time. Miller fetched 2nd and 3rd rounders for Denver last season when heading to Los Angeles. The Broncos helped that along by eating a lot of his contract.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Conversely, Melvin Ingram, Everson Griffen, and Golden went for 6th rounders. So if the Bears want Quinn to get them a decent package in return, it would help if he gets off to a strong start this year. Combined with a favorable market, doing so might land them a pair of solid picks when the time comes.
