Last season, one of the very few bright spots for a bad Chicago Bears team was the work that veteran pass rusher Robert Quinn put in.
Coming off a franchise record 18.5 sacks in 2021, Quinn enjoyed an enormous bounce-back year. The year prior, Quinn was not himself and fans were wondering whether or not his contract was worth it — and Quinn answered the call.
But, under a new regime, the Bears have been making many changes. Already, the team has traded pass rusher Khalil Mack. They have let go of other key veterans like Danny Trevathan, Akiem Hicks and Tarik Cohen.
Now, Quinn could be up next. CBS Sports insider Jason La Canfora is reporting that Quinn wants out of Chicago, and could fetch a big return.
Chicago Bears star pass rusher Robert Quinn wants out, and Ryan Poles should make a move without hesitation.
La Canfora is reporting that Quinn will likely fetch a larger return than Von Miller did last year when he was traded to the Rams — and that would be quite the haul for Chicago. The Rams gave up a second and third-round pick in exchange for Miller, who is 33 years old. Quinn, meanwhile, is 32 as of this month.
If the Bears could fetch more than a second and third rounder in exchange for Quinn, then Poles needs to make that happen far sooner than this year’s NFL trade deadline — which is when La Canfora is projecting Quinn to be dealt.
Poles needs to act now, though, because based on Quinn’s career, we don’t know if this is going to be another top-tier year from the pass rusher. He has had down seasons, just like he did in his first year with the Bears. If he doesn’t come out producing like he did last season, then the Bears will not get that type of return which La Canfora is talking about.
Look, the Bears are in the midst of a rebuild. They have gone all offseason without getting Justin Fields a true number one receiver. If they were to get a decent return for Quinn, they could turn around and use at least one of those picks on a wideout next year — if not use it to trade for a guy next offseason.
Quinn’s trade value might be at the highest it will get going forward, so if he wants out, the Bears should simply cut ties and find the highest bidder. Plus, taking his salary off the books will only open up even more future cap space.
Speaking of cap space and wide receiver help, there are some significant names going into the last year of their deal and could be free agent prizes next year. Think Terry McLaurin, DK Metcalf or Deebo Samuel — now that would be something.
