The Chicago Bears traded Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday, October 26th. It was a move experts had speculated could happen for months. Quinn is 32 years old. He holds an expensive contract and doesn’t have a Super Bowl ring. It didn’t make sense for both sides to maintain a relationship. The Bears are clearly rebuilding. Quinn doesn’t have long left in his career. He’d likely prefer to join a team in contention for a championship. In the end, GM Ryan Poles found a solution that made everybody happy.
Quinn joins the only undefeated team left in the league. Chicago nets a 4th round pick and an additional $10.6 million in 2023 salary cap space. It would’ve been easy for Poles to let people stand with only that information and move forward. Instead, he continued to do what he’s done since he took over in January. He made himself available to the media. He didn’t try to hide from the decision. The opening remarks revealed a man that loved and respected Quinn but knew from a business and football perspective that it was the right move for the Bears.
Ryan Poles didn’t deceive anybody with those words.
It’s okay if some disagree with his decision. Plenty of people might think Quinn was worth more to the Bears on the roster, especially after the 33-14 thrashing they gave New England. There is still an outside shot this team can make the playoffs as a wild card, especially with how bad the NFC is this year. Poles, though, has maintained his stance from the beginning. His focus is on the long term. Quinn was never part of the big picture. He wants a young team that can grow together into a perennial contender.
Unloading Quinn gives Trevis Gipson (25) and Dominique Robinson (24) more opportunities to play. Ryan Poles wants to see if either of them can blossom into quality starters. That data will feed into what he has planned for next off-season. The 2023 draft appears stacked with edge rush talent. There will be solid options available in free agency too. He has options that could work out for his team down the line while giving them additional opportunities to improve the roster elsewhere.
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