NEWSLETTER
There’s a scene in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” wherein droid ball BB-8 is continuously plugging his parts into an overloaded electrical problem, only to see other problems flare-up for him to fix.
This scene comes to mind because it reminds me of the Bears’ pass-rush problem.
Trading for Khalil Mack fixed one long-standing issue the Bears have faced since they let Julius Peppers leave. But since his arrival, problems on the other side of the formation have surfaced. Indeed, when Mack isn’t the one getting to the quarterback, it’s been awfully problematic for the Bears defense, particularly when other parts of the unit were on the fritz. BB-8 smashing into the wonky network as a fix is the Star Wars universe’s equivalent to Mack bulldozing through dudes – *SOMEONE* had to do it.
To be clear, none of this is to say Leonard Floyd was a bad football player. He wasn’t. But in a game that is dictated by quarterback play, there is a need for defenses to counter with players who can stop QBs in their tracks.
And that’s where Robert Quinn comes into play.
Player, Age (in 2020), Position
Robert Quinn, 30, EDGE
Measurables
6-4, 260 pounds
Quinn is a large human. And between his size and age, he is less likely to be in coverage than his predecessor Leonard Floyd. But that’s OK, because Quinn’s track record as a pass-rusher far exceeds what Floyd has done/shown to be capable of doing.
Performance
Quinn flashed in a big way early in his career, picking up three 10+ sack seasons in his first four years as a pro. His best work came in 2013, when he earned first-team All-Pro honors and a trip to the Pro Bowl after recording 19 sacks, a league-leading 23 tackles-for-loss, 34 quarterback hits, seven forced fumbles, and a defensive touchdown. Quinn hasn’t been that dominant of a player since, but has shown an ability to deliver consistent sack numbers.
Since the start of the 2015 season, Quinn has averaged 9 sacks, 10 tackles-for-loss, and 16 quarterback hits per 16 games. That’s certainly a nice baseline to keep in mind before even considering who is rushing in front of him (Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman) and on the other side of the formation (Mack).
Contract
Highlights
They Tweeted It …
This one hurts the Cowboys. They wanted to bring back Robert Quinn after he led the team in sacks last year. Dallas needs to improve its pass rush. Will be interesting to see how they address it now https://t.co/wVXfthzAZz
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) March 17, 2020
The #Bears signed Robert Quinn to a deal today to replace Leonard Floyd. The idea is that Quinn's pass rush ability will provide a boost opposite of Khalil Mack that Floyd was never able to do. The rare combination of flexibility and speed are why he has 80 career sacks. Thread: pic.twitter.com/8GoYrbfRQL
— Brandon Robinson (@BRobNFL) March 18, 2020
Not many guys can get back into the back like this. He's special. pic.twitter.com/xNF52lrvd7
— Brandon Robinson (@BRobNFL) March 18, 2020
He's not great versus the run because of his size but he consistently shows effort pic.twitter.com/lRxNIAvU5B
— Brandon Robinson (@BRobNFL) March 18, 2020
https://twitter.com/79illwill/status/1241893659274031107?s=20
An Inspirational Road to Success
The Fit
GM Ryan Pace certainly paid a premium to sign Quinn. But with good reason.
Consider this: Quinn had 11.5 sacks in 14 games last season. The player he’s replacing had 11.5 sacks … in 42 games over the last three seasons.
Quinn should be a really significant upgrade to what Chicago had last year from a pass-rushing perspective. And while I can foresee situations where the Bears will miss Floyd’s ability to drop into coverage, it is easier to envision Chuck Pagano scheming up ways to cover the gaps with Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan than it is to imagine scheming pass rush opportunities without compromising the back end of the defense. If the Bears can pressure the quarterback with Mack, Quinn, Hicks, and Goldman in their base package, the jobs of Kyle Fuller, Eddie Jackson, and whomever else is roaming in the secondary will become that much easier.
There was an obvious need to upgrade in that aspect of the game, and the Bears shelled out a hefty chunk of change to make it happen. And the juice will be worth the squeeze if Quinn can continue flatten quarterbacks at the same rate he has throughout his career.
