Teams Targeting Bears Edge Rusher Ahead of Trade Deadline

The Chicago Bear may be coming off a shocking and potentially reinvigorating 33-14 win over the New England Patriots, but teams around the league apparently still see a squad that's going nowhere. As a result, general managers have begun turning over the Bears roster in hopes of finding talent worth swiping. According to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, teams remain interested in defensive end Robert Quinn ahead of the November 1st trade deadline.

Continue to hear #Bears DE Robert Quinn as a trade candidate from several teams. The biggest hurdle right now is Quinn's $18.2M cap hit for 2023 and where Ryan Poles stands on that. Terrific player who had 18.5 sacks last season and would certainly help a contender.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 25, 2022

Quinn was a standout on a 2021 Bears team that stumbled to a 6-11 record, notching 18.5 sacks and earning a second-team All-Pro. Teams have pursued Quinn ever since the end of that stellar season, but at 32 years old with a $12.8 million salary, his value has been difficult to establish.

Quinn hasn't gotten off to a great start in the 2022 season, perhaps in part due to the persistent trade rumors. He has one sack through seven starts and sports a brutal 43.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. His declining play at an advanced age might complicate his exit all the more.

Quinn has seen some spectacular highs since entering the league as the St. Louis Rams' 14th overall pick way back in the 2011 NFL Draft. He has totalled 102 sacks across 163 appearances and earned three Pro Bowls. Amazingly, his 18.5 sacks in 2021 weren't even a career-high; he tallied 19.0 in 2013 with the Rams. Quinn has been exceptional at his peak, but he hasn't been without his lows; he tallied a mere two sacks in 15 appearances as recently as 2020. He's a high-risk acquisition that could pay off for a contending team.