Will The Bears Move Former Pro-Bowler Before The Trade Deadline?
Robert Quinn came into 2022 with big expectations after having a stellar 2021 season. However, it looks as if the Bears and Quinn are about to part ways.
With the NFL trade deadline quickly approaching, the Chicago Bears have a limited time to ship off defensive end Robert Quinn. While Quinn is coming off an 18.5 sack season last year, he’s not showing that same dominance with the Bears’ new-look defense. However, the prospect of trading Quinn goes beyond his performance this season.
While this season is by far a disappointment for him, it’s his contract that could push him out of Chicago. He still has two more years on his contract, with his contract taking up $18.2 million in 2023 and $17.2 million in 2024 of the Bears’ cap space. They can’t afford to keep a player at that cost when he’s not performing at a high level.
Quinn’s Contract Might Push Away Trade Partners
While the contract of Robert Quinn is an issue for the Bears, it’s also an issue for any potential trade partner. His situation is much like that of Baker Mayfield. His contract required the Cleveland Browns to eat some of his contract to dump him on the Carolina Panthers. With that situation becoming a train wreck for the Panthers, other teams might see the Bears’ pass rusher the same way.
However, there’s hope if the Bears bite the bullet with his contract. If they don’t, the only other option is to restructure his contract, much like Jimmy Garoppolo did with the San Francisco 49ers. While a restructure is highly unlikely, something needs to be done with his contract to get anyone to field calls for him.
<img decoding="async" width="880" height="587" src="https://i0.wp.com/windycityrant.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/10/robertquinn.jpg?resize=880%2C587&ssl=1" alt="Robert Quinn" class="wp-image-512 lazyload" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/stadiumrant.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2022/10/robertquinn.jpg?w=1000&ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/stadiumrant.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2022/10/robertquinn.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/stadiumrant.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2022/10/robertquinn.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/stadiumrant.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2022/10/robertquinn.jpg?resize=500%2C334&ssl=1 500w, https://i0.wp.com/stadiumrant.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2022/10/robertquinn.jpg?resize=800%2C534&ssl=1 800w" sizes="(max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px" data-recalc-dims="1" />
What Can The Bears Get For Quinn?
The Bears have very little bargaining power with Robert Quinn. He’s not performing well, and he’s 32 years old. With plenty of younger talent out there, age is working against him with any potential trade deals.
If the Bears find a trade partner, the likely deal for Quinn will be a sixth or seventh-round draft pick. Had the Bears put him on the trade block before the season began, they might have gotten a better deal in return for the aging defensive end. But for now, the Bears are hoping to get something in return for him, as the deadline is coming on November 1st.
What Teams Are Likely Candidates For Quinn?
With most teams having their defensive lineup settled, there are very few options for the Bears to part ways with their defensive end. However, teams like the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers could use some help to improve their defense. The Cardinals’ defense isn’t doing well, despite having J. J. Watt on their defense. Adding Quinn could help them, as it seems like Quinn does best when paired opposite of a dominant defensive end.
While the Steelers have J. J. Watt’s brother, T. J. Watt, he’s out with injuries. The Steelers hope to see him return this season, but have struggled on defense without him. In fact, they’ve won only one game since losing him, meaning their defense could use some help. While Quinn isn’t a linebacker like Watt, he’s a pass rusher, which is what the Steelers need currently to improve their defense. With both teams being down, but not out of their divisions, the Bears could reach a deal with either of these teams.
The only other hope to ship the aging defensive end out of Chicago is to make a package deal with teams, meaning they must surrender a draft pick or additional player. With David Montgomery in the last year of his contract, they might have to give teams a two-for-one special to part ways with Quinn this season.
Final Thoughts
Robert Quinn is an aging defensive end and he is expensive. Very rarely do you see an aging player with a high price tag stick around long. The Bears need to make moves to turn things around and Quinn is one of those moves. If the Bears hope to chip away at their problems, Quinn leaving could be a good first step. Only time will tell what the Bears decide to do considering the trade deadline is about two weeks away.
Check out our website here for all things Windy City Rant!
Comments