The Robert Quinn trade rumors were already there when the Chicago Bears sent Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers. It made sense. The team is in rebuilding mode. In these situations, unloading older, expensive players is a common practice. At 32-years-old, with his lofty contract, Quinn is an obvious choice. Those matters were made even more evident after what happened this past week.
Quinn had already decided not to show up for voluntary minicamps and Organized Team Activities. Things got serious when he chose not to attend mandatory minicamps as well. This was the first indication that the veteran may wish to go elsewhere. It isn’t because he hates Chicago. He simply sees the writing on the wall. His career likely won’t last much longer, and his window to win a Super Bowl is closing.
That is why a trade makes sense.
GM Ryan Poles is sympathetic to the situation, but he is also responsible to his team. He won’t trade a player unless he feels the deal is favorable. The Bears have leveraged. Quinn is under contract for three more years. So time is not a factor for them. They can wait patiently until a team makes an offer Poles would like. Ian Wharton of Bleacher Report believes he found one that is obvious for all parties involved.
“Cardinals get: Edge Robert Quinn
Bears get: 2023 third-round pick, WR Andy Isabella
The best landing spot for the veteran is in Arizona. The Cardinals did not replace Chandler Jones with a high-impact talent.
Their current rotation features veterans Markus Golden and Devon Kennard, plus rookies Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders. Golden has hit double-digit sacks three times since 2016 but also finished the other three years with seven sacks combined. Consistency and star power are an issue.
J.J. Watt and Budda Baker need more help for this defense to become playoff-worthy. Adding Quinn would achieve that.”
The Arizona Cardinals are in a brutal division that features the world champion Los Angeles Rams and always dangerous San Francisco 49ers. They need all the help they can get. Their pass rush was a big reason for their 11-6 season last year. Losing Jones, who had 10.5 sacks, was a definite blow. Quinn can fill that void and would be an excellent fit in their scheme. As for the return, it’s favorable. The Bears get a decent draft pick and another receiver for their competition. Isabella is a former 2nd round pick with considerable speed. So there’s talent to work with.
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Robert Quinn trade is likely to happen at one of two times.
It will either be right before the start of the regular season or around the trade deadline in October. The first would make sense either because certain teams realize how bad their pass rush situations are or because a key player they can’t replace got injured. Then there is the deadline. That is often when you know who the contenders are, and some of them feel they’re one piece away from making a proper run. Adding a great pass rusher can often be a significant boost. The Rams proved that last year when they added Von Miller.
That is why the Bears are wise to wait. The odds are that a team will emerge at some point that feels they need Robert Quinn rather than want him. When need becomes a factor, the price tag usually rises. If the Cardinals are that team and the trade package is close to what Wharton mentions, then Chicago could do much worse.
A 3rd round pick is solid, and Isabella would be worth the flier.
Until the time comes, Quinn must decide what he wants to do. Sitting out minicamps is one thing. Will he do the same in training camp? The fines for such a holdout would be significant and unlikely to do much for his value on the market. The best thing for him would be to play and continue dominating.
I don’t think they will see much better than a 3rd rounder. Quinn had a really bad year two seasons ago, although last year was much better. But, there’s still the big salary. Not many teams want to give a ton of draft capital in exchange for a huge salary. Third seems about right.
3rd round pick…..sorry, 18.5 sacks last year…..hold out for a 2nd round plus late round pick or hold on to him….a 3rd is ridiculous for a top 5 pass rusher.
No way should the Bears trade Quinn for any less than the Miller trade. Doing so would be insane.
We should hold out for a 2nd round pick and a proven player who can contribute immediately.
Quinn’s contract is reasonable—and the Bears don’t need the cap space. Leaving a big hole on a defense that could be pretty darn good for a 3rd rounder and somebody who might not make the team would be stupid.