Last month, the Chicago Bears already made it clear that they are ready to overturn the roster entirely. That means unloading every large contract and player over 30 they can if the return is justifiable. Trading Khalil Mack sent that message in a big way when GM Ryan Poles shipped him off to Los Angeles. Many wondered if Robert Quinn, fresh off a season with 18.5 sacks, could be the next man on the block.
It makes sense. His contract is huge, he’s 32-years old, and he just had one of the best seasons of his career. The value he brings on the market is unlikely to go any higher than it’s at now. Thus far, the Bears haven’t made any such move, and Quinn himself reiterated his desire to stay after receiving the Brian Piccolo award on Wednesday. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network indicated that teams are indeed circling Halas Hall to see if there’s interest in dealing the veteran pass rusher.
Interesting. Robert Quinn was in Chicago today meeting the new staff and spending time with #Bears coach Matt Eberflus. But teams are sniffing around on him for a possible trade. One of several veteran names being discussed. https://t.co/pXvlZlr1oF
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2022
This shouldn’t be a surprise.
Rebuilding teams, as the Bears appear to be, almost always unload veteran players in exchange for future assets. Trading Robert Quinn would not only secure them another draft pick, but they’d also snag nearly $20 million in additional cap space for the 2023 offseason. That would give Poles incredible flexibility to remake the roster as he sees fit. As always, it comes down to what’s being offered.
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Don’t expect the team to deal their best defensive lineman for a mere pittance. It would have to be a solid offer. Remember, they got a 2nd round pick and a future 6th round pick for Mack. He is only a year younger than Quinn. So it wouldn’t be unfair to think the team should expect something similar for him. If teams come in with offers of a 4th or 5th rounder, it seems unlikely Poles would go for that. Intentionally weakening his defense to that extent for a Day 3 selection would not be worth it.
This will be something to monitor in the next 72 hours.
