Getty Teams are interested in trading for Robert Quinn, according to Ian Rapoport.
The Chicago Bears handed out their annual Brian Piccolo Award to veteran pass rusher Robert Quinn and running back Khalil Herbert at Halas Hall on April 26.
The award is given to one veteran player and one rookie every year who most exemplify the “courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor” of former Bears running back Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer in 1970.
After setting the team’s single-season sack record last season with 18.5 sacks, winning an award like this is the icing on the cake for Quinn. “It’s definitely an honor to be nominated for this,” Quinn said, via the team’s official website, “so thank you to the McCaskey and Piccolo families and my teammates for voting for me.”
The topic of Quinn’s former teammate, veteran linebacker Khalil Mack, also came up. Chicago’s new general manager, Ryan Poles, traded the All-Pro pass rusher to the Los Angeles Chargers in March. Rumors soon followed that Quinn could be next — and he responded to them — hours before one league insider reported other teams are interested in trading for him.
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Quinn Responds to Mack Leaving, Trade Rumors
Quinn said his reaction to Mack getting traded was “kind of disbelief,” per Chris Emma of 670 The Score. Quinn also noted he “was in shock” after the deal went down.
When the topic turned to the veteran pass rusher’s thoughts on whether the team’s new regime might trade him next, Quinn had some strong words about sticking around in the Windy City.
“The only thing I thought of was hopefully my résumé or my production from last year gives me a little weight to keep my foot in the building,” Quinn said, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “At the end of the day, it’s a business. Again, you see Khalil Mack getting traded. Again, it’s just a business. Don’t dwell on it, too crazy.”
It sounds as though the veteran, who turns 32 in May, would prefer to play for the Bears in 2022, but also understands that football is a business first and foremost.
“I didn’t expect to go anywhere, or want to go anywhere, but again, this is a crazy business,” Quinn added.
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Quinn’s 2021 Season Has Made Him Attractive Trade Piece, Insider Says
Quinn racked up some impressive numbers during his 2021 campaign. He had 49 tackles (38 solo) and 22 QB hits while also leading the team in sacks (18.5), forced fumbles (four) and tackles-for-loss (17).
He was a menace to opposing quarterbacks all season, finishing with 25 hurries and 47 pressures, and he should still have some gas left in the tank if he remains healthy. Quinn has a cap hit next season of over $17 million, which is high, but it might not be high enough to dissuade a contending team that is one dominant pass rusher short of having a good defense.
Top NFL insider Ian Rapoport tweeted a few hours after Quinn spoke to the media that teams were “sniffing around” the Bears defender, also noting Quinn’s name was “one of several veteran names being discussed” as a trade possibility.
Considering Poles has done nothing but shed hefty veteran contracts since getting hired in January, Quinn getting traded feels more like an inevitability now than ever. Stay tuned.
I loved watching Robert Quinn last year, but the #Bears trading him makes too much sense.
They want to free up cap space for 2023 and beyond, and they want more draft picks. Quinn is older and expensive, and it’s unlikely his trade value will ever be higher than it is right now.
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