Bears trading pass rusher Robert Quinn to Eagles for fourth-round pick—The undefeated Philadelphia Eagles aren’t sitting back ahead of the trade deadline. They’re loading up.
The Chicago Bears is trading pass rusher Robert Quinn to the Eagles in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday. Philadelphia and Chicago each announced the trade, pending a physical, later Wednesday.
Quinn, 32, is a three-time Pro Bowler who has played the last two-plus seasons with Chicago, but his name has been attached to trade rumblings dating back to training camp.
Though the Bears (3-4) are coming off an impressive upset win over the New England Patriots on Monday night, they’re sellers ahead of the Nov. 1 trade deadline, while the 6-0 Eagles are reinforcing the NFL’s fourth-ranked defense.
Quinn posted a Pro Bowl campaign in 2021 in which he tallied 18.5 sacks, but it hasn’t translated into this season. Through seven games, Quinn has posted eight tackles and one sack to go with a 43.8 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus. A massive five-year, $70 million deal brought Quinn to Chicago ahead of the 2020 season. He followed it up with a two-sack campaign, but his 2021 renaissance changed the narrative.
“I have a great deal of respect for that guy,” Smith said, via Shaw Local News’ Sean Hammond. “Damn. Crazy.”
Having played with the Rams, Dolphins, and Cowboys prior to joining the Bears, Quinn has been mercurial on the field throughout his career, from a bona fide force off the edge to a disappointing contributor who’s been thought to be beyond his best years more than once. He’s had five double-digit sack seasons unbalanced by four campaigns with five sacks or fewer.
Quinn now heads off to the fifth franchise of his 12-year career and will join a defensive front rife with talent. Tied for 10th in the league with 17 sacks, the Eagles will add Quinn to a pass-rushing contingent that already has Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham off the edge, and Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox, and Jordan Davis on the interior.
The Eagles are hosting the Steelers on Sunday and have given Pittsburgh — along with the NFC East — another pass rusher to worry about.
Quinn has a base salary this season of $12.8 million and is due $26.8 million in base earnings over the next two seasons. The Bears are paying $7.1 million of Quinn’s remaining base salary this season, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported.
Though Quinn’s departure cannot be seen as all that surprising, it will clearly be a blow for the Bears on and off the field, as exemplified by fellow standout (and trade candidate) Roquan Smith. Smith found out about the trade while speaking with reporters and became emotional.(*)
